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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571396">Back to the Future Rules Apply</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/atypicalsnowman/pseuds/atypicalsnowman'>atypicalsnowman</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Disabled Character, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Endgame what endgame?, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange Parenting Peter Parker | Supremefamily | Strange Family, everyone lives no one dies, soul bonding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:49:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>58,104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571396</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/atypicalsnowman/pseuds/atypicalsnowman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the original timeline, Loki never pulled a knife on Thanos.  In the original timeline, Stephen stopped at 5,371 futures, and Thor went for the head.</p><p>In the original timeline, Thanos lost.</p><p>The universe cannot survive without the Infinity Stones.  As the last living Stone keeper, Stephen is called to undo what Thanos did.</p><p>Racing through time and space, Stephen must find a way to save the universe.  Tony must find a way to save Stephen.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki &amp; Thor (Marvel), Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark, Stephen Strange &amp; Peter Parker, Tony Stark &amp; Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>374</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>375</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue:  The Sanctum</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I blame this fic on the first five minutes of Infinity War.  </p><p>When I first saw the movie I honestly thought they would circle back to why Loki would pull <i>a knife</i> on Thanos.  It made zero sense to me, and it still doesn't.  The first novel length fix-it fic I wrote for Infinity War focused on a rewrite and fixing it for Tony and Stephen and giving them a better plot.  This novel length will focus on what would have happened if that timeline we saw wasn't the original timeline.</p><p>What you can expect from this fic:</p><p>Epic mutual pining between Tony and Stephen.  These boys are just destined to love each other believing that the other doesn't for a while.  And then grand romance in the stars.  </p><p>Time-travel shenanigans! </p><p>Revisiting Civil War.  The first two chapters set up the story.  Stephen and Tony were friends during Civil War, so Stephen was there for the fallout.  <i>Only</i> the first two chapters deal with Civil War, and please keep in mind we are in Stephen's POV.  This fic is not anti-Steve or anti Team Steve.  It's not going to deal with that at all, I just have to start it there so we know where we're starting from.</p><p>Epic angst.  Because it's me.  And because it's Infinity War.  And Soul Bonding.  Again, because it's me.  Someone should challenge me to not write soul bonding in my next fic.  I'd probably die.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to silent_serendipity for being the best grammar beta there is and foxglove_fiction for betaing and looking over my outline, holding my hand while I figured stuff out, and really helping it all to come together.  </p><p>I have the first four chapters of this fic done, working on the fifth.  I hope to update every Saturday.  </p><p>I hope you like the beginning.  Please leave a comment or kudos and let me know.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen sat himself in his chair by the Window of the Worlds and checked the time.</p><p>It was easier these days with his new Stark Phone, but he often caught himself checking his broken Jaeger though it had been ages since it worked.  He’d been tempted many times to take up Tony’s offer to fix it, but knew in his heart some things should remain broken.  </p><p>It was one forty-five in the afternoon.</p><p>He tried to keep to a very strict schedule when he could.  His life was so unpredictable these days, he enjoyed structure and order when he could have it.  </p><p>At one forty-five in the afternoon his favorite tea sat on the windowsill and would take four minutes to brew.  Approximately twenty-five minutes after that, Wong would walk by lightheartedly asking which library he’d stolen the book from. </p><p>Fifteen to twenty minutes after that, Stephen would feel the beginnings of his heart speeding up and his stomach churning.  He’d twist and adjust himself in his chair and focus even more on the text he was reading, but it wouldn't do any good.  It never did.  </p><p>He cursed himself for his own ridiculousness over something he should have more control over.</p><p>A juvenile outburst over an unrequited crush was added to his schedule every Wednesday afternoon because every Wednesday afternoon around two Tony Stark got out of his weekly board meetings at Stark Industries and was at the Sanctum by two-thirty.</p><p>He claimed it was to foster good team dynamics in the event they’re ever called on to fight together, but Stephen thought he did it just to drive him up a wall.  And if they had gotten closer since Stephen had first popped up on Tony’s radar—just after the incident with Dormammu—well that was just a natural consequence.  </p><p>A part of him felt like he was far too old to have a crush.  Too old and too…  </p><p>He stole a glance at his watch again.</p><p>He might be far too old for a crush but though he wanted to deny it, that’s exactly what it was.  A stupid crush, something fleeting that would end the first time Tony did something irritating.  It wasn’t worth thinking about, especially when he should be studying.</p><p>Stephen banished his tea leaves to the kitchen compost, sipped his tea, and opened his book.</p><p><i>Ishtur's Soul Bonds</i> was an interesting text, and he was only at the beginning.  He’d borrowed the book from Kamar-Taj with a warning glance from the librarian on duty but dismissed it.  No knowledge in Kamar-Taj was forbidden, only certain practices.  And he never knew what he might need in a fight.  Dormammu had taught him that much.  </p><p>As he thumbed through the introduction by Ishtur’s apprentice, his phone buzzed in his pocket.  Only a few people had his number, and he tried not to get his hopes up as he checked it.  </p><p>
  <i>UN investigation reveals ex-Soviet soldier as suspect in bombing</i>
</p><p>On second thought, Stephen thought with a sigh, perhaps he might have to amend his usual Wednesday schedule.  He’d seen the photos of Tony in Berlin with the other Avengers, and knew something must have been going on that wasn’t in the press.  He’d read about the Accords, had agreed with them, or at least the idea of them.  The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj might not be accountable to the United Nations, but they were strictly accountable to themselves.  </p><p>He knew Tony thought the Accords were necessary and that the world agreed with him.  And though he longed to help his friend, he knew that the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had no place in the affairs of the Avengers.  </p><p>A streak of red passed by him and looked over his shoulder.</p><p>“What?” he asked the Cloak as it peered at his phone.  “You can read?”</p><p>The Cloak bopped him on the head and turned the phone so it could see it. </p><p>“My mistake,” Stephen muttered.  “You like him, too?”</p><p>The Cloak tilted its collar by a fraction and Stephen caught what he’d said.  </p><p>“I mean, of course I like him,” he sputtered.  “He’s extremely charismatic, that’s why he’s a celebrity.  Well…I suppose not only that.  But that has to be part of it.  You don’t see people dressed up as Hawkeye for Halloween.”</p><p>The Cloak floated silently by his side, unmoving.</p><p>“Oh, shut up,” Stephen said.  Great, he was having an argument with his Cloak about his stupid, childish crush on someone who would never reciprocate his feelings.  Lovely.  </p><p>The Cloak scrolled down the article to where it talked about shots fired and how Tony hadn’t brought the Iron Man armor with him to Berlin.</p><p>“I’m sure he’s fine,” he told the Cloak, though his heart clenched in his chest.  Tony was a force to be reckoned with even without the armor, but cleverness and guile wouldn’t protect him from a bullet.  “He’s been fighting since long before us.”</p><p>The Cloak swished in a way that looked affronted. </p><p>“Well,” Stephen corrected himself, “me at least.”</p><p>The Cloak nodded its collar and settled on the back of his chair.</p><p>Stephen pushed aside his disappointment, mentally cleared his afternoon, and concentrated on soul bonds.  </p><p>“What are you reading?”</p><p>He’d been so caught up in his thoughts he’d forgotten Wong’s daily meddling.  His shaking hands dropped his tea cup, the tea threatening to spill all over the ancient text before it was caught in midair by a spell.</p><p>The glare Wong gave him was enough to put ice in his veins.  “That text is a thousand years old,” Wong said, banishing Stephen’s tea without a second thought.  “I will not see it destroyed because you are too busy daydreaming to read.”</p><p>“Wasn’t daydreaming,” Stephen muttered and returned to his book.  “And I hadn’t finished my tea.”  </p><p>“Stephen, why are you reading about soul bonds?” Wong asked, looking like he was tempted to snatch the book from Stephen’s hands.</p><p>“I’ve heard they can be used on the battlefield,” Stephen said.  He ignored Wong and turned back to the book.  “Temporary bonds can be used to augment powers, or so I’ve read in other texts.  I want to read up in case they come in handy.”</p><p>Intent on ignoring Wong, Stephen attempted to go back to his chapter.  He rolled his eyes and rested the book in his lap when he realized Wong was still staring at him.  “What?” he asked, looking up and finally seeing the look on Wong’s face.</p><p>“Stephen…” Wong started, then shook his head and seemed to consider his words.  That icy chill ran down his spine again at the sight of Wong tongue-tied.  “Any spell that could alter the soul must be handled with utmost care.  Even temporary bonding spells can have permanent effects.”</p><p>Stephen cocked an eyebrow.  “How, if the spell itself is designed to be temporary?”</p><p>Wong shook his head.  “The soul is a living, breathing thing.  Any spell that would bind it to another’s has to be living as well.  And something designed and created to be a connection to life itself can always change.”</p><p>Just as Stephen was about to ask what Wong could possibly mean, the wards silently rang out in a way only Stephen could hear.  His heart jumped a little in his chest, but he stamped it down, both because it was foolish and because there was no way that was Tony.  </p><p>He stood and looked through the Window of the Worlds down to the street below and saw Tony Stark pacing the pavement. </p><p>“He’s early,” Wong said, looking over Stephen’s shoulder.  He seemed to consider Stephen for a moment, then said, “I know he is your friend—”</p><p>“Don’t,” Stephen said.  His eyes never left Tony as he watched him agonize over whether to even knock on Stephen’s door.  He shoved both hands inside his pockets—looking uncharacteristically uncertain—like he was trying to restrain himself from knocking, then turned around to walk away only to double back again.  </p><p>Whatever had happened in Germany was bad, and Tony obviously thought it was going to get worse or he’d never come to Stephen for help.</p><p>Stephen didn’t need Wong telling him that he couldn’t help Tony.  He knew that well enough.  The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj had hidden their order for millennia.  There was no way Stephen could undo all of that.  </p><p>Even for Tony.</p><p>But if there was a way he could help as a friend, rather than as a sorcerer, he would do all he could.  </p><p>“Don’t worry so much, Wong,” Stephen said, letting his book rest on the chair and going to put Tony out of his misery.  “What’s the worst that could happen?”</p><p>With just a slight hesitation in his step, Stephen opened the doors to the Sanctum to a still-pacing Tony Stark.</p><p>“Forming a picket line?” he shouted.</p><p>Tony turned towards him and asked, “What?”</p><p>Stephen schooled his face to stoic, but he couldn’t help staring as his eyes took in Tony’s perfectly scruffy hair, sunglasses that framed his face perfectly, and suit that was tailored to his body.</p><p>“Um…”  He’d been making a joke, hadn’t he?  “What are you protesting?  You’ve been walking back and forth in front of my door long enough.”</p><p>“Coffee served in tea cups,” Tony said, finally coming inside.  The wards of the Sanctum welcomed Tony like he was an old friend.  “Pretty sure it’s a war crime.  So how are things on this side of the world?”</p><p>“Nowhere near as chaotic compared to where you’ve been,” Stephen said, moving to the kitchen to offer Tony sustenance.  He looked beautiful, but also as though he was about to collapse any moment.  “How are you, Tony?”</p><p>Tony responded by staring out his kitchen window, which was currently a portal to the Hong Kong Sanctum, where vendors were selling their wares in the city streets.</p><p>He was silent for a few moments while Stephen brewed his coffee.</p><p>“You know I think you had the right idea, Doc,” Tony said, walking around Stephen’s kitchen.  He took off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves. “You had the absolute best idea.  Stay in the shadows.  Help people as much as you possibly can, but don’t let them know who you are.  Genius-level idea.”</p><p>Stephen poured the coffee, a bit of it splashing on the kitchen counter.  “Is it bad?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said, leaning over the kitchen table, looking like that photo of Kennedy Stephen had seen in history textbooks when he’d been a kid.  The picture had always stuck out in Stephen’s memory.  It was a picture of a man—a good man—with the weight of the world on his shoulders.</p><p>Tony looked very much like Jack Kennedy at that moment.</p><p>He waited for the machine to beep, then prepared Tony’s coffee the way he liked it.</p><p>“How bad?” Stephen asked, and pulled out a chair for Tony to sit down, Stephen sitting across from him.</p><p>For a long moment, Tony just stared at the seat like he had no idea what to do with it.  Then he blinked and sat down, drank his coffee.  </p><p>“What the hell is this?” Tony looked at it like it insulted his mother.  “You drink this?”</p><p>“I mean, I don’t particularly enjoy it, but yes, sometimes,” Stephen said.</p><p>“Friday, get Stephen and Wong a case of the good stuff.  Pretty sure this stuff could shine my suit—”</p><p>“Tony,” Stephen gently interrupted because it seemed like Tony wasn’t here to torment him today.  This didn’t feel like a social call or an excuse to get Stephen out of the house.  This felt very different.  It felt like a line was being drawn.  Like Stephen was about to be asked to pick a side in an extremely important war.  </p><p>“Yeah,” Tony whispered and took another sip of his tea.  “Yeah, okay, Doc.  You’re right.  I’m here because…  Doc, I need help.”</p><p>Stephen took a deep breath and felt his heart drop to the floor.  Yes, something very important was about to happen, and Stephen had a feeling he was about to give the wrong answer.</p><p>“What do you need?” he asked.</p><p>Tony wrapped his hands around his cup, his expression twisted in uncertainty.  “Ross is giving me twenty-four hours to bring everyone in, get them to sign the Accords,” Tony said.  “I don’t want any more fighting, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.  If we don’t bring them in…  It’ll be bad.  For everyone who doesn’t want to sign, and for the world.”  He peeled off his sunglasses, and looked up at Stephen with sad, dark eyes.</p><p>“I’ve seen what those portals of yours can do,” he said.  “You could take care of this in a minute.  Everyone goes home, no one gets hurt.”  His hands gripped his mug, like he was trying to keep himself from reaching out.  “Please, Stephen.  I know you wanted to stay out of this, but…”</p><p>It was like his heart was being torn in two.  Stephen had never wanted to say yes to anything more in his life.  He knew Tony was being sincere.  He didn’t just want to win, he wanted to help his friends and teammates avoid a worse fate.  And Stephen knew the skill sets of the Avengers.  He knew he could easily and safely transport them to a safer place, somewhere tempers could cool and Tony could have a chance at a real peace.</p><p>But he wasn’t a surgeon who could call his own shots anymore. </p><p>He was a sorcerer.  One of many who’ve protected Earth and the multiverse and could only do so from the shadows.</p><p>He couldn’t allow his own desires to help Tony overcome his need to protect the Sanctum.  Millenia of secrecy couldn’t be undone because Stephen had a crush.  </p><p>
  <i>It’s not about you.</i>
</p><p>Though…</p><p>Looking into Tony’s eyes, he knew he didn’t want to help him simply because of a crush.  He wanted to help because it was the right thing to do and hated that he couldn’t do it.</p><p>“Tony, I’m sorry,” he said, and Tony was already looking down into his cup.</p><p>“Yeah, don’t worry about it, Doc,” Tony said, finishing the rest of his cup with a grimace.  “Figured it was a long shot, but I had to ask.”  </p><p>He looked disappointed, but not surprised, like he’d expected Stephen to say no but still had some glimmer of hope otherwise.  Somehow, that was worse.</p><p>Stephen shook his head, his trembling hands reaching out to Tony’s before he could stop himself.  “Please, believe me, I would if I could.  But the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj have existed in secret for centuries.  I <i>cannot</i> be the one who brings our order to the attention of the world.  If I were to bring in <i>the Avengers</i>…”</p><p>Softly, Tony lay his hand over Stephen’s and gave a very light squeeze.  Stephen’s stupid, stupid heart almost burst from his chest.</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said, his voice rough.  “I know.  Really.  Maybe I’m an asshole for asking—”</p><p>“You’re not.  If it was literally anything else, I would do it.”  He paused, grasping at straws.  “What about the Iron Legion?”</p><p>Tony shook his head.  “Not the look I’m going for.  I’m still working on their reconstruction, plus I want them to know we want to talk.  Going with a dozen suits of armor would make it look like we’re there to fight.  Which is why I thought—”</p><p>He waved a hand towards Stephen.</p><p>“But I need backup and the next guy on the list is…well…” </p><p>Stephen had no idea what to say, how he could possibly get Tony to understand that he wanted to help, but for once he had to think of something larger than himself.</p><p>“Seriously, Stephen,” Tony said, standing up and putting his suit jacket back on.  “It’s fine.  Come on, who would seriously win in a fight between me and Cap?  That’s not even close.”</p><p>“Depends on the fight,” Stephen said, his trepidation growing.</p><p>“Ouch,” Tony said, a false smile on his face.  “You wound me.  Look, it’ll be fine.  I gotta go hit up a spider in Queens.  Burgers next Wednesday?  Assuming I’m not being called to testify at the Hague?”</p><p>Stephen sighed and nodded his head.  He wanted to say more, to try to convince Tony that he truly wanted to help, but to what end?  There was nothing to be done, and they both knew it.  </p><p>“See you later, Doc,” Tony said, walking out the door.  </p><p>Just as the Sanctum was about to close the door, Stephen stuck his head out and shouted, “Tony!”</p><p>Tony turned around, the sun framing his hair in a way that made him glow, looking every inch Earth’s Greatest Defender.  He was so struck by him, he almost forgot what he’d planned to say.</p><p>“Steve Rogers doesn’t stand a chance,” Stephen said, wanting Tony to know his true allegiance.  “A fight between the two of you, I’d bet my lunch money on you every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”</p><p>Tony looked over the rims of his sunglasses and smiled.  “Well, I can’t have you going hungry.  Next Wednesday.  Burgers.  Your pick.”</p><p>“I’ll see you then,” Stephen said, withdrawing back into the Sanctum and not allowing himself to succumb to the desire to watch Tony walk away.  </p><p>Guilt at his own shortcomings ate at him, but the Cloak held him, gave him a full body hug he was surprised to find he needed.</p><p>“He’ll be fine,” he said to the Cloak.  “He’s faced far worse than Steve Rogers.  And they’re friends…of a sort.”</p><p>The Cloak nodded its collar but didn’t seem convinced.</p><p>“Well,” Stephen said.  “It seems our afternoon is free now.  Probably best to keep studying.”  </p><p>He never knew when he’d been called upon to save the world…again.</p><p>*</p><p><i>Ishtur’s Soul Bonds</i> was an extremely interesting book, and full of spells that could potentially be used on the battlefield.  Wong had left Stephen to his own devices for the rest of that day and the next, so Stephen never did understand what could be dark about most of these spells.</p><p>Certainly there were spells he’d never even attempt to do.  They went too deep, the connection between two souls too entwining and permanent.  But there were several spells Stephen had already committed to memory that could be of tremendously good use.  </p><p>One in particular could anchor the soul of someone whose body was damaged to another’s, and the strength of the healthy sorcerer could aid in keeping them alive.  The only drawback seemed to be that it required an artifact of great power.  But aside from that—admittedly large—hurdle why would this spell not be used in the battlefield more often?  </p><p>He’d been bent over this book for hours, concentrating on learning as much as he could while also ignoring the pings from news alerts on his phone.</p><p>
  <i>Avengers fight at German Airport leaves War Machine Wounded</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Rogue Avengers on the Run After Clash at Airport</i>
</p><p>And the worst headline, the one that was plastered in all caps on the front page of the New York Times:  AVENGERS CIVIL WAR!</p><p>He hadn’t heard from Tony in the past two days, but that was to be expected.  He’d turned down his request for help.  Why would Tony bother coming to him for anything now?  The news about Tony’s friend, Colonel Rhodes, was particularly difficult to read.  From what the reports were saying, it sounded like the injury was permanent.  </p><p>Stephen flexed his fingers and tried not to feel regret.</p><p>He continued to ignore his phone and kept reading about battlefield soul bonds.</p><p>He was almost successful in not thinking about Tony for a full five minutes when a vibration in his pocket had him jumping out of his chair.</p><p>“Who calls these days?” Stephen asked himself while the Cloak swooped over from where it had been napping in the sun.  </p><p>The caller ID simply said, ‘Friday.’</p><p>Stephen cast a quick look at the Cloak and accepted the call.</p><p>“Hello?” he said.</p><p>“Doctor Strange?” said a very familiar voice.  “Doctor Strange, it’s Friday.”</p><p>Stephen only knew of one entity named Friday, and though it seemed odd to be called by an AI, he looked at the Cloak and realized he shouldn’t throw stones from within his glass house.  </p><p>“Hello, Friday.  Why are you—”</p><p>Fear slammed into him like he was walking into an ice storm, like all the heat had gone out of the room and he was left in the freezing cold.  “Friday,” he asked softly, “why are you calling?”</p><p>“I can’t find boss!” Friday said, her tone more upset than he’d ever heard her.  “He was fighting Captain America and the Winter Soldier in Siberia and then I lost him when Rogers put his shield in boss’s chest.”</p><p>That feeling of an icy chill ran down his spine until it burned him.  He couldn’t have possibly heard Friday right.  </p><p>“The Winter Soldier was there?  Captain America did what?” he asked, though that shouldn’t have been his actual question.  His real question should have been <i>where’s Tony?</i></p><p>“He was hurt,” Friday said.  “He was holding his own, but it was two against one.  I tried to help him as much as I could,” she said, and if she was flesh and blood Stephen knew she’d be crying.  “I was with him right until the end, right until Rogers broke the arc reactor.  And now I can’t reach him!”</p><p><i>The end</i>.</p><p>Stephen had heard enough.  He pulled out his sling ring and let the Cloak drape itself over his shoulders.</p><p>“Show me his last known location.”</p><p>Friday pulled up the coordinates on the screen, and Stephen felt his heart drop even further.</p><p>Tony was in the middle of nowhere in Siberia.  In a broken suit after a fight with two super soldiers.  </p><p>Stephen put Friday in his pocket and called the Eye of Agamotto to him, the Cloak wrapping around his shoulders as he created a portal.  </p><p>The bitter chill of Siberia whipped around him, but Stephen didn’t hesitate.  He hadn’t been able to help Tony before, but he’d be damned if he couldn’t help him now.</p><p>He just hoped he wasn’t too late.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to everyone who clicked on this knowing that it's chapter one of a (probably) novel length fic.  I know it's tempting to wait until a fic is more established, but getting hits, comments, and kudos from readers really keeps me going and gives me motivation.  So thank you.</p><p>Updates will be on Saturdays.  See you next week!</p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue: Siberia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter!  I know a lot of people prefer to read a completed fic, so thank you for coming with me on the journey.  That's really how I view writing, which is why I love Tony and Stephen so much.  Their journey is fun and full of love in a bag of angst.</p><p>This is the second part of the prologue and the last of the Civil War era.  After this we move on.  </p><p>Thank you to silent_serendipity for being the best spag beta and to foxglove_fiction for really helping to beat this chapter into submission.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leaving the warmth of the Sanctum and stepping into the cold of Siberia was like being slapped by a wall of sleet, and reminded him of the time he’d broken through the ice on the pond near his home in his youth.  Stephen struggled to take in a deep breath, his lungs burning with cold air when he finally managed.  </p><p>Whatever facility this had been it was destroyed now.  Looking around, Stephen could see the repulsor blast marks on the walls and dents from Captain America’s shield.  </p><p>And blood.</p><p>A trail of blood led to a darkened door, silent where the howl of wind whipped through the rest of the destroyed building.  He forced himself to move forward, terrified of what he’d find.</p><p>There was a loud clang as his boots hit metal.  There, at his feet, was Captain America’s infamous shield laying on the floor, tossed there haphazardly after having fulfilled its purpose. </p><p>And just beyond it was Tony. </p><p>Tony with his chest piece caved in, the indention the exact size and shape of the edge of the shield.  </p><p>For a moment Stephen couldn’t move.  He could barely breathe.  He was a doctor, had been a surgeon for years.  He knew how to not freeze when things got hard.  As a sorcerer, he had to always think on his feet.</p><p>But seeing Tony crumbled on some dirty floor in Siberia…</p><p>“Friday,” he croaked out.</p><p>“He’s alive.  But…”</p><p>That was what Stephen needed to break out of whatever trance he was in.  He kicked the damned shield out of the way and rushed towards Tony, diving to his knees to inspect the damage.</p><p>“Hey, Tony,” he said, his hands almost completely useless in this cold.  “I’m just going to take a quick look, I promise.”  The Cloak had to help steady his hands as he examined first the suit and then the chest it had tried to protect.  </p><p>At first, all he could see was metal, then more layers and layers of circuity and steel.</p><p>Then, blood.</p><p>So much blood.  </p><p>“My God,” Stephen muttered, his head spinning.  No.  No, he was not going to lose Tony, not when he should have been there helping him.  It hadn’t been a fair fight.  Two against one?  No, Stephen should have been there.  There would have been no chance the two of them could be defeated.  </p><p>But Stephen hadn’t been there.  He’d let his allegiance to his Order overrule what he’d known was right.  And now Tony had paid the price.</p><p>“Doctor Strange?” Friday said sadly from his pocket.</p><p>But he was here now.</p><p>He created a portal to Metro General, right in the middle of the hallway where he knew they kept the good coffee machine.  </p><p>Gently, he used magic to pick Tony up, the Cloak coming over to steady him and make sure he moved as little as possible.  As they crossed the portal together, Stephen took in all the cuts and bruises on Tony’s face and cursed Steve Rogers to his core.  </p><p>“Christine!” he screamed as he grabbed the Cloak and had it follow him, carrying Tony like a gurney.  </p><p>“Oh, Stephen, what now?” she said, putting cream in her coffee.  She looked up to scold him, then realized there was a man floating in midair and bleeding from his chest.</p><p>Then she realized who that man was.</p><p>“Is that—”</p><p>“Yes,” Stephen said.  “He needs surgery now.   Blunt force trauma from an object to his chest.  I’m sure it’s aggravated other past wounds.”</p><p>There was no need to go into further detail when the entire world knew what had happened to Tony Stark’s chest.  The dead arc reactor spoke volumes.</p><p>Christine nodded, grabbing an intercom and calling a team in to aid in surgery.  </p><p>“Do you know what did it?”  </p><p>In all the excitement and need to get Tony here, of course Stephen had forgotten it.  The weapon that had almost murdered Tony Stark.  He’d go back to it later, but right now, he had to help Tony. </p><p>Help Tony where he’d failed him before.</p><p>“Vibranium,” Stephen said, coming with her into the operating theater.  “With enough force to break his arc reactor.”</p><p>As she washed her hands, Stephen could see Christine’s mind filling in the blanks with what Stephen didn’t say.  That the word ‘vibranium’ was hardly ever mentioned unless one was talking about the rarest metal in the world, usually followed directly by ‘Wakanda’ or—</p><p>“Stephen,” she whispered, as a half dozen medical professionals began to prep the room and Tony.  “What happened?”</p><p>Stephen shook his head and cast the best sterilizing spell he knew on himself.  There was no way he was leaving this room until Tony did.  </p><p>As the surgical team scrubbed up, Stephen realized it would be almost impossible for them to help Tony if they weren’t able to get through his armor.</p><p>“Friday,” he said softly to his pocket, hoping Friday was still on the line.  “Friday, can you help Tony out of his suit?”</p><p>Stephen peeked into his pocket.  Friday was still there and must have heard him.</p><p>“Friday, they need to operate.  I won’t leave his side, I promise,” Stephen said, pleading.</p><p>“Boss has his own doctors he trusts,” Friday whispered.  “He’s had them on his staff for years.  He doesn’t trust people he doesn’t know.  He’s always afraid his tech will fall into the wrong hands.”</p><p>She sounded scared and small, and Stephen knew exactly how she felt.</p><p>“I won’t leave his side,” he whispered.  “I promise.  I’ll stay all through the surgery and his recovery, until he’s stable enough to be moved.”</p><p>There was silence that was somehow louder than all the sounds of the surgical team prepping and then Tony’s armor fell off him onto the floor.</p><p>Stephen quickly summoned the armor and stuck it in a pocket dimension, the medical team staring when they should be helping Tony.</p><p>“Well?” he said with a sneer.  Half of them had worked with him when he’d still been a surgeon and responded to his snarl, quickly going back to their duties.</p><p>“Okay,” Christine said, finally able to get a good look at the wound.  “I need to remove this shrapnel before it decides to book a vacation.”  She asked the nurse for a scalpel and the operation began.  </p><p>Tiny pieces of the armor made the loudest clangs when they hit the stainless steel tub as Christine fished them out.  He had no idea how long he stood there, his heart pounding, his body completely still when the clang of the next piece of shrapnel falling was drowned out by the sound of an alarm.</p><p>It was the sound every surgeon feared.</p><p>“He’s crashing,” Christine said and motioned for the defibrillator to be brought over.  </p><p>“Doctor Strange?” Friday asked from his pocket.  “What’s happening?”</p><p>Stephen knew exactly what was happening, but he couldn’t believe it.  There was no way Tony was going to die, not today, and not by the shield of his former ally.  Not while Stephen still breathed.  </p><p>The defibrillator failed so they tried again.  And again and again.  </p><p>Christine and the surgical team did everything right, did everything Stephen knew they could do but Tony was still fading.  </p><p>His body felt colder than it had been in Siberia, colder than the lake in Nebraska.  The thought of losing Tony was incomprehensible, not when he could have helped, not when he should have been there.</p><p>There was no way…</p><p>His mind drifted to the spells he’d just learned, the book he’d been reading for days.  A battlefield spell, one that was temporary, one that would use the strength of a sorcerer to keep another alive while the body could heal.  </p><p>He could do it, he thought.  He called up the pages in his mind, blessing his photographic memory.  All he needed was the spell and…</p><p><i>Oh</i>.</p><p>He needed a power source.  Some artifact with enough power to help create the spell and keep it steady for as long as it took for the injured person’s body to begin healing.  </p><p>His hands drifted to the Eye of Agamotto.  </p><p>It was reckless, he knew.  The Eye was meant to be used in a world-ending event only, not for something so personal.  </p><p>But Stephen had already put his Order before Tony once and look what had happened.  There was no way he could do it again, not when inaction meant Tony’s death.  </p><p>He lifted his hands and concentrated, turned his fingers though they still burned from the cold of Siberia. </p><p>The Time Stone glowed.</p><p>“Please,” he whispered.  “Please help me.  I know I have no right to ask for something so small.  I know you’re meant for much, much greater things.  But…”</p><p>
  <i>But I love him.</i>
</p><p>He gasped and shook his head, the realization like a slap in the face.  He wanted to deny it—even if just to himself—but knew it was true.  But this wasn’t something he could consider, not now.</p><p>“But he is Iron Man,” Stephen whispered.  “He’s Earth’s greatest defender.  If he dies, it will make us weaker.  If he lives, he may just save us all.”</p><p>The Time Stone’s glow increased, but Stephen couldn’t tell if it was agreeing or disagreeing, whether it had any idea who Tony even was.</p><p>Was it possible for one of the building blocks of the universe to even know one man?</p><p>The glow increased and Stephen felt a calm come over him, something from outside of himself giving him approval.</p><p>“Thank you,” he breathed.  Without waiting another moment, Stephen twisted his hands and called up the spell.</p><p>“Clear!” Christine called again and tried to restart Tony’s heart.</p><p>“Move,” Stephen said, expecting to be obeyed instantly as he always had been in surgery.  </p><p>For a moment, no one moved a muscle, too shocked and perhaps too well trained to obey the order of a man who had no business being in the operating theater in the first place.  </p><p>It was understandable, but he didn’t have time for this.  And neither did Tony.</p><p>“Move!” he shouted and watched as all but Christine scattered.  She quickly leaned away from Tony, trusting but not understanding what Stephen was about to do.</p><p>His hands moved in just the right pattern, and he closed his eyes and called upon his magic.  He had never used the Time Stone in this way before, but he felt its approval, its agreement that to help Tony was to help the world.  He could feel himself siphoning just the smallest amount of power from its nearly endless supply and then he <i>pulled</i>.</p><p>His hands glowed golden and he let loose the spell, hitting Tony with it with all of his strength.  </p><p>A breath tore out of him, his own strength being taken from him and he suddenly realized why he had to have a strong relic to aid him.  Tony was taking his power, his life-force to strengthen his own.  Stephen felt his heart skip a beat, the breath leaving his body for a moment as the spell settled and began doing what it was intended to do.</p><p>“Hit him again,” he grunted.</p><p>Christine nodded to the surgical staff, who did so.  </p><p>Stephen held his breath for a split second and then Tony’s heart started again.  </p><p>“Stephen?” Christine asked.</p><p>“Keep going,” Stephen groaned, his hands curling into fists despite the pain.  “Don’t stop.”</p><p>She started again, removing every bit of shrapnel that was left and then began the slow process of stitching him back up.  Pints of blood were given, and there were several close calls, but Stephen held fast.</p><p>Tony wasn’t dying.  Not today.  </p><p>By the time Christine closed the wound, Stephen was dead on his feet.  The Cloak picked him up and helped him to stand, and the Time Stone kept him from passing out.</p><p>And all the while, he felt a connection to Tony.  As he stood there—as he floated—there began to be a faint echo somewhere in the back of his consciousness.  Some faint shadow that grew and grew until he couldn’t dismiss it anymore.  </p><p>He was terrified to tear his concentration from the spell.  He knew he should look inward to examine it, but the shadow felt friendly.  Perhaps it was related to what Wong had talked about.  Consequences to linking souls, even temporarily.  </p><p>It didn’t matter.  All that mattered was that Tony lived through this operation.</p><p>Finally, Christine and the rest of the surgical team were done.  </p><p>“Doctor Strange?” Friday said from his pocket.  “Is it over?  Is boss okay?”</p><p>“Yes,” he breathed, but still held fast to the spell.  Just in case, just until he was sure.  “Yes, he’s going to be fine.”</p><p>The nurses prepared to take Tony to the recovery room, and Stephen told the Cloak to follow them.</p><p>“No,” Christine said, coming over to him still covered in Tony’s blood.  “I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re not going anywhere but a bed.”</p><p>“A spell,” Stephen said, his words barely audible.  </p><p>“Yeah, I guessed that,” she said.  “Something to help him?  Something that’s hurting you?”</p><p>He gave just the slightest nod.</p><p>“Okay,” she said.  “Can your cape carry you to the recovery room?”</p><p>Stephen staggered a breath and said, “It’s a Cloak.”</p><p>“Stephen!”</p><p>The Cloak nodded its lapels, and they left to the recovery room.  The Cloak made itself into a hammock, cradling Stephen as he tried to stay out of the way of the nurses who were making sure Tony would survive post surgery.  </p><p>The shadow towards the back of his mind was still there, not growing any larger but seemed more substantial.  Like it was gaining form and strength.</p><p>Stephen cast it from his mind, putting all his remaining strength into the spell, giving Tony as much as he could.  He felt his body giving out on him, saw his vision greying. </p><p>He barely managed to mumble, “I don’t know how much longer I can—”</p><p>“He’s okay,” Christine said.  “The surgery was successful, Stephen.  You can rest now.”</p><p>Hearing her permission was all he needed.  His ironclad grip on the spell ended, and he held on to consciousness just long enough to be sure Tony’s heart kept beating when he’d finally let go.</p><p>It did.</p><p>“Thank you,” he whispered to the Time Stone.  It responded by glowing brighter and then closing its eye.</p><p>He must have finally passed out because the next thing he knew, Christine was holding a sports drink with a straw to his lips.  The Cloak was still holding him, and Tony was still alive.</p><p>“Drink,” she said. </p><p>“Tony?” he asked after a moment. </p><p>“On the mend,” she said.  “I don’t know what you did, but it saved him.  I was losing him.  He’d lost too much blood, and too much damage was done.  Whatever you did, you saved Tony Stark.”</p><p>It was literally the least he could do, Stephen thought, since he had been the one to fail him in the first place.</p><p>The click of high heels against the linoleum floor distracted them both, and Christine hurried outside.  Stephen kept drinking his drink, intent on portaling himself home when the doors to the recovery room swung open.</p><p>Pepper Potts walked in.</p><p>Tony had told him that the tabloid rumors were true, that they really had broken up, for good this time he’d said.  But from the look on her face, it was also true that they’d remained friends.</p><p>She stood over his bed for a moment, lightly touching his hand, and looking relieved but angry in equal measure.  </p><p>Then her sharp gaze turned to Stephen.  </p><p>“Doctor Stephen Strange,” she asked, though it sounded more like a statement.</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>Her lips did something odd, like she wanted to smile but was physically incapable.  </p><p>“Friday said you saved him.”</p><p>It was true in the most basic of ways, so he nodded again.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said, and this time she did manage a small smile.</p><p>Stephen nodded again and then sleep took him quickly.</p><p>*</p><p>Tony was still asleep when Stephen left a day later.  Now that his strength had returned and he was finally able to think clearly again, he wanted to examine the little shadow at the back of his mind.  </p><p>But first things first.  </p><p>He hesitated saying goodbye to Tony.  </p><p>Pepper stood by his bedside for her daily visit just as Stephen wanted to give Tony one last good look and go home.  He feared getting too close to Tony while she was there, as though one look from Stephen would reveal everything he felt, everything he wanted to deny and hide.</p><p>Because he couldn’t be in love with Tony.  Not after he’d failed him so badly.  Not when there was no way Tony could possibly love him.</p><p>“Feeling better?” Pepper asked, and her smile was easier to come by this time.</p><p>Stephen nodded then stole a glance at Tony in bed.  Tony, who was so still when he was always the most animated person in the room.  Tony, who was attached to so many wires and machines.</p><p>“Yes,” he said.  “You’ll let me know when he wakes?”</p><p>“Of course,” she said.  “We owe you his life.  I won’t forget it.”</p><p>A lump formed in Stephen’s throat.  He nodded, but thought his smile looked constipated. </p><p>“I’ll come by then,” Stephen said, taking out his sling ring, “and I’ll bring his busted suit.  And one other thing.”</p><p>From the furious look in Pepper’s eyes, she knew exactly what he meant.</p><p>He gave her a nod, then he created a portal directly to Siberia.</p><p>Walking through this time was no better.  The icy cold still stung his face and hands, the blood on the floor still screamed its accusations that Stephen hadn’t done enough.  </p><p>He ignored it all and found the shield.</p><p>There wasn’t a scratch on it.  He’d half expected to find its edge tipped in blood, the sides of it bent beyond repair, but it looked as perfect as the first time Stephen had seen it in a history textbook.  </p><p>As far as Stephen was concerned, it belonged to Tony now.  It went into his pocket dimension along with Tony’s broken suit.  He’d give them back later.</p><p>*</p><p>Three days later, Stephen stood outside Tony’s bedroom in the Compound.  </p><p>After doing little more than sleeping and eating for the past few days, Stephen had finally stirred when he received a call from Pepper saying Tony was awake and asking for him.  </p><p>Stephen had showered and dressed quickly before portaling over, and now he was forming his own picket line just outside Tony’s door.</p><p>The shadow in the back of his mind was still there now, days after he’d ended the bonding spell.  He’d been too exhausted to research why yet, but if he was feeling the effects what if Tony was as well?  </p><p>The spell was made to be temporary so why was this happening?  And if it had affected Tony, would he hate Stephen for performing magic on him when he hadn’t been awake to consent, even if it was to save his life?  </p><p>It was as though an axe hung over him, and Stephen had no idea if it was about to fall.</p><p>“Doctor Strange?" Friday said from some speaker in the ceiling.</p><p>“Yes?” he said, afraid of being called out.</p><p>“Boss says to ask what you’re protesting.”</p><p>“What?” Stephen asked, then recalled a bad joke from a few days ago and huffed out a nervous laugh.  He pushed aside his fears and opened the door.</p><p>One look around the room told Stephen this was Tony’s actual bedroom.  It had a modern style with deep, dark colors offset by windows that beautifully framed the rising sun.  There were tablets laying around and little bits of electronics that were too advanced for Stephen to identify.  </p><p>“Hey, Stranger,” Tony said from his bed.  </p><p>His first instinct as a doctor was to look Tony over head to toe, look for signs of infection, general status of the patient.  “Hey,” Stephen said, giving a once over to the various bags and machines Tony was hooked up to.  His nurse must have just visited because everything looked perfect.  “Looks like they’re doing an excellent job.  How do you feel?”</p><p>Tony groaned and said, “Like a super soldier just hit me in the chest with a vibranium shield.”</p><p>Just as Stephen was berating himself for asking an insensitive question, the shadow in the back of his mind seemed to flash.  For a split-second Stephen felt sorrow that wasn’t his own.</p><p>His eyes immediately went to Tony’s.</p><p>Soft, warm eyes smiled as he took Stephen in, and the guilt pushed aside whatever that flash had been.  Tony shouldn’t be happy to see him, not after what he did.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Stephen said, and had never meant those words more in his life.  The line had been drawn and Stephen had chosen the wrong side.  He’d known it as he was making the decision, and he’d still done it.  There was no excuse.</p><p>“For what?” Tony asked.</p><p>“For this,“ he said, waving a hand over Tony.  “I should have been there.  I should have gone with you.”</p><p>“Hey, no,” Tony said, and reached out to Stephen’s waving hand.  “Don’t do that.  This wasn’t your fight.”</p><p>“I want—” Stephen said, but stopped himself before he could complete his sentence.  </p><p>
  <i>I want all your fights to be my fights.</i>
</p><p>“I should have gone with you,” Stephen finally said.  “I’m sorry I didn’t.  This entire mess could have been avoided.  God help Steve Rogers when I find him.”</p><p>“Hey, don’t,” Tony said, shaking his head.  “I don’t want that.  I had to talk Pepper out of a manhunt, please don’t make me give the same speech.”</p><p>Stephen couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “He almost killed you.  No,” he said, pacing the room, “he did kill you.  Your heart stopped for several minutes!  All because he disagreed with the Accords—”</p><p>“The fight had nothing to do with the Accords,” Tony said, his voice softer than he’d ever heard it.  “I don’t…really want to go into what it was about, but it doesn’t matter.  I can’t keep fighting that same fight.  I have bigger fish to fry.  Something’s coming.  I don’t know what, but I know it’s big.  And I have to be prepared, I have to start a team almost from scratch and…”</p><p>He trailed off and laid his head back on his pillow, suddenly exhausted.  </p><p>“I can’t waste time thinking about this.  I’m a futurist.  I have to look forward,” he said.  “Can’t spend any time looking back.”</p><p>Here was another line drawn in the sand.  Maybe Tony wouldn’t want his help now after he’d denied him before, but Stephen wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.  </p><p>“I’ll help you,” he said.  At Tony’s surprised look, he said, “I should have helped you before.  I should have found a way, any way that prevented all this.”</p><p>Tony continued to look shocked, like he truly hadn’t expected Stephen to lift a finger to help him in his fight to save the future.  The little shadow flickered in his mind’s eye.</p><p>“That is, if you’ll have me,” he finally said.  </p><p>“I’d have you any day of the week and twice on Sunday,” Tony said with a smirk, giving Stephen a look that he must have misunderstood.  There was no way Tony…</p><p>“Besides,” Tony said, looking away, “Pepper said you saved my life.  Pulled me out of Siberia, worked some of your hocus pocus right there in the operating room,” Tony said.  “Something about using your powers to keep me alive?”</p><p>Shame ripped through him like a fire, burning him from the inside out.  He still didn’t fully understand whatever the consequences had been from that spell, and here was Tony thanking him.</p><p>“Hey, Doc,” Tony said, squinting at Stephen like he was seeing him for the first time.  “You okay?  I just had the weirdest…”</p><p>He trailed off for a moment then blinked, like he dismissed whatever thought had come into his head.  </p><p>“Anyway, thank you,” Tony said.  “For whatever you did.  But please don’t hurt yourself for me again.  I’ll be fine.  Always am.  Definitely didn’t survive being kidnapped, an alien invasion, and rogue AI just to die…”</p><p>He gave a sad smile as he trailed off again, and Stephen felt the shadow again flicker with sorrow.  His eyes shut for a moment, almost like a long blink and Stephen knew he should allow Tony to rest.  </p><p>He had no idea when he’d see Tony again, but at least he was alive and well and had seemed to suffer no adverse effects from their temporary bonding.</p><p>“Perhaps you’re right,” Stephen said, some faint echo of sadness tickling the back of his mind.  “Maybe moving forward is the best way to go.”</p><p>“Futurist,” Tony said.  “Always looking out for tomorrow.  And speaking of tomorrow, you busy?”</p><p>“Um,” Stephen said, because no aside from studying and training early he wasn’t.  “No.”</p><p>“Great,” Tony said.  “Bring me a cheeseburger, will you?  Pepper has me eating applesauce and yuck.  If I don’t have a cheeseburger soon I may actually die.”</p><p>Stephen blinked, not really believing what he was hearing.  That Tony not only didn’t hate him for casting a spell on him, but actually still wanted to be friends.  </p><p>It was more than he’d ever hoped for.  </p><p>He nodded absently, shocked and amazed.</p><p>Tony shivered once and seemed to look inward.  After a moment, he said, “I’ll get a big screen in here so we can watch a movie.  You can pick.”</p><p>Stephen nodded, and marveled once again at the impossibility of Tony Stark.</p><p>*</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He quickly created a portal for the New York Sanctum and stepped through.</p><p>Just that short trip exhausted him, and sleep called him, but he knew he needed an answer to the question of this shadow first.  Twice, he’d felt a flickering of something in his mind’s eyes, the shadow showing emotions that were not his own.  He made himself a cup of tea and sat himself down with <i>Ishtur’s Souls Bonds</i> next to the Window of the Worlds.  </p><p>He flipped to the spell he’d used and noted that it didn’t have any warnings, no caution that the spell could evolve or grow the way Wong had warned.  It seemed to be a simple spell to save another’s life.  </p><p>He quickly skimmed the rest of the book, not really concentrating, flying over pages with horrifying spells that split the soul and worse, looking for any evidence of what he was feeling.  </p><p>Then, he recalled a very important lesson Mordo and Wong had once given him about reading the entire book before casting a spell. </p><p>He flipped to the end of the book, and on the very last page was written:</p><p>
  <i>“A warning for all those attempting the spells in this book:</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Soul bonds are a living, breathing thing and can be affected by the sorcerer who casts it.  Even a temporary bond can leave a lasting mark if the affection of the casting sorcerer is deep enough.  Those casting these spells should use caution and should not use a spell if they cannot accept the possibility of permanent consequences.”</i>
</p><p>Stephen’s heart plummeted.</p><p>
  <i>What had he done?</i>
</p><p>Quickly, he reached out to the back of his mind, to the place where the shadow seemed to be.  It felt fuzzy to him still, like it lacked an outline, like it wasn’t entirely stable.  </p><p>He took a deep breath and looked harder.</p><p>He saw nothing, but all he could <i>feel</i> was Tony.  </p><p>Stephen gasped, his head spinning, and opened his eyes.  </p><p>He blinked and the Window of the Worlds faded away.  Darkness overtook the room for a moment before he felt like the world was spinning.</p><p>A bright light shone down on him, almost blinding him in its intensity.  He was no longer seated by the Window of the Worlds, but was in a different part of the Sanctum completely.  In front of him was the door to the library, and to his right was the living room.  </p><p>And to his left, out of the corner of his eye, was a door he had never seen before.  It didn’t exist.  There had never been a door in that place in the Sanctum.</p><p>He tried to turn his head but found he couldn’t move.  Whatever vision this was, he was doomed to observe and not interact.  </p><p>Steadying his breathing, he tried to take in any other changes to the Sanctum, but there appeared to be none.  The light felt the same, and Stephen felt healthy and whole.  As he calmed, he realized he felt safe.  </p><p>Just then, Wong came out of the library.  </p><p>“Stephen,” he said in greeting.  “Is it finished?”</p><p>Stephen’s vision swam again and the premonition ended.  He was once again seated at the Window of the Worlds.  </p><p>The book fell out of his hands and hit the floor.  He trembled as he began to understand what he had done, though he couldn’t begin to fathom the consequences.  He should have listened to Wong.  </p><p>His mind swam with unanswered questions.  Would Tony know?  Was it possible that Tony could see Stephen’s shadow?  Whatever bonding had happened, Tony had appeared to be unaffected.  </p><p>Regret threatened to drown him before he realized one thing:  if he had never read the book in the first place, Tony would be dead.  He knew that was the truth, that his actions saved Tony’s life.  But the consequences didn’t only involve him.  He’d made a decision for Tony that was irrevocable.  There was no way of knowing exactly how this would affect either of them.</p><p>Tony had to be unaffected, Stephen thought.  That was the only way he could still want to remain friends, still trust Stephen to be on his team, to be in his home.  </p><p>He thought of cheeseburgers and movies and how nothing was ever so simple.</p><p>As he began to think on the consequences of his actions all that came to mind was one thing:</p><p>They really should put the warnings before the spell.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know what you think!  Next week will show the original timeline and Loki.</p><p> </p><p>Updates will be on Saturdays.  See you next week!</p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Original Timeline</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much to everyone who left comments and kudos on the first chapters.  It really keeps me going when writing feels hard, so I appreciate every one of you.  </p><p>Thank you to foxglove_fiction and silent serendipity for being the best betas ever.</p><p>Now we're getting into the original timeline.  I tried hard not to take too much dialogue from canon cause I think that's kind of boring, but I did take Thanos' sinister monologue.  Things get really different that.  </p><p>So, here's what <i>actually happened</i> aboard the Statesman and after.  Let me know what you think.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cold darkness of space had never bothered him. </p><p>No doubt it was a product of growing up playing on the Bifrost, the rainbow bridge always feeling like home to him.  The starry expanse of forever was more a comfort than something to fear.  He and Thor would constantly be at play on the bridge itself or in the conservatory, fighting with wooden swords or pestering Heimdall to tell them all he could see.</p><p>But that had been before Loki fell.</p><p>Before Thanos.</p><p>Loki stood silently among the bodies of his people, people he’d finally stopped running from, people he had returned to save.  Returning to Asgard hadn’t been an easy decision, nor had returning to Thor and their people on the Statesmen.</p><p>But he had been running for so long.  </p><p>After his failure in New York, he’d been relatively safe in the prisons of Asgard, but since then he’d been in hiding.  Thor still thought he was hiding from himself, from his own failures, but that was a lie.</p><p>Or, like most of his lies, perhaps it was partially true.</p><p>But what he had truly been running from all this time had finally found him.</p><p>“I know what it’s like to lose,” Thanos said.  Loki hid a shudder, the fear running up his spine a paralytic.  “To feel so desperately that you’re right, yet to fail nonetheless.  It’s frightening.  Turns the legs to jelly.  But I ask you, to what end?  Dread it.  Run from it.  Destiny arrives all the same.  And now it’s here.  Or should I say, I am.”</p><p>His fists clenched as Thanos leaned over Thor, grabbing him by his head and dragging him towards Loki.  Never in his long life had he wanted so badly to fight but been unable.  He just stood still, jaw clenched, only his eyes moving as he took in the bodies of his people laying bloodied all around him.  </p><p>Half.  Thanos had killed half of the Asgardians.  </p><p><i>No,</i> he thought.  <i>He killed half of the survivors who had successfully fled Asgard for Earth.</i> </p><p>Hela had already decimated their people.  There was no way of knowing how many were left.  And now he had his hands on Thor.</p><p>It was so very tempting to try to run.  He was good at running.  He could try his luck.  Take the Tesseract from his pocket dimension and see how fast he could activate it and save himself.  He could keep running.  Maybe Thor would understand.</p><p>But he was no longer that Loki.  At some point, between Sakaar and Asgard, something had shifted inside him.  There would be no leaving Thor behind, nor their people.  </p><p>Because Thanos was here for one reason and one reason only.</p><p>Loki had the Tesseract, and Thanos knew it.  His insane quest to slaughter half of all life in the universe would only be realized once he attained all six stones, and the Power Stone already glowed in a gauntlet Thanos flashed.</p><p>One stone and five empty slots.  If Loki gave him the Tesseract—the Space Stone—Thanos would have the ability to move anywhere in the universe with a twist of his hand.  </p><p>He closed his eyes and silently apologized to Thor.  </p><p>Because there was no way he could allow that to happen.  Thanos could not have the Space Stone.  The death of one man—no matter how much he did love his brother—was nothing compared to the carnage Thanos would raze across the universe.</p><p>“You talk too much,” Thor spat, his mouth dripping with blood.</p><p>If he was honest with himself—which was a new phenomenon—he wasn’t quite sure if he was apologizing for what this had come to or for taking the Tesseract in the first place.  He only knew he wished he could tell Thor that he wasn’t betraying him this time.  Not really.  And if he could please not equate it with every other time he’d betrayed him.</p><p>“The Tesseract,” Thanos said, drawing his attention away from Thor, “or your brother’s head.  I assume you have a preference.”</p><p>He clenched his fists and forced himself not to look at his brother’s face.  And then he told the greatest lie he’d ever tell.</p><p>“Oh, I do.  Kill away.”</p><p>Instead of pummeling Thor to death, Thanos activated the Power Stone and used it to burn a hole into Thor’s head.  His agonizing screams tore straight through Loki, forcing his gaze to stay on Thor’s face as he screamed in torment.  He attempted to turn inward, to the place he’d tried to go when he was faced with his own torture.  </p><p>But he couldn’t tune out Thor’s screams.  He just had to stand there and watch as Thanos slowly, painfully, hurt Thor in a way that wouldn’t kill him for a long time.</p><p>Just like he had done to Loki.  </p><p><i>Exactly</i> like he had done to Loki.</p><p>“All right, stop!”</p><p>Thor gulped a deep breath and rasped, “We don’t have the Tesseract.  It was destroyed on Asgard.”</p><p>Thor was going to be so disappointed with him.  He was extremely surprised to find he cared.  He pulled the Tesseract from his pocket dimension and lowered his face, not to avoid Thanos’ boasting grin…</p><p>But to avoid Thor’s disappointment.</p><p>“You really are the worst brother.”</p><p>Loki shook his head, wishing he could make Thor understand, searching for some hope he could still get them out of this.</p><p>“I assure you, brother,” Loki said, imploring Thor to listen, “the sun will shine on us again.”</p><p>“Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian,” Thanos said.</p><p>From behind Thanos, a large shadow began to stir.  Loki knew that shadow well.  He should given he’d feared it for years.  </p><p>He never thought that one day he’d be fighting side by side with the Hulk, but war made for strange bedfellows.</p><p>“Well, for one thing, I’m not Asgardian,” he said, purely to confuse Thanos and give the Hulk time.</p><p>“And for another…”  The shadow stood up and began coming this way.  He only had to time this right…</p><p>With a smirk, Loki said, “We have a Hulk.”</p><p>Loki dropped the Tesseract and dove towards Thor, covering his body and then dragging him to safety while the Hulk roared and pummeled Thanos.</p><p>“Brother, move,” Thor grunted, coughing up more blood but still trying to crawl to where Loki had dropped the Tesseract.  “There is still time to undo what you have done.”</p><p>The accusation stung like a blow, but Loki held fast to Thor, not allowing him to move.  Any one of Thanos’ children could pick up the Tesseract and Loki had no desire to fight any single one of them let alone all of them.</p><p>Soft footsteps grew nearer to them, nowhere near as loud as Cull Obsidian’s tromping or  Corvius Glave’s heavy boots, but terror gripped Loki’s heart all the same.  Those footsteps were familiar, and Loki would have preferred any other but those.</p><p>“No,” Thor muttered and tried again to slither out of Loki’s grip.</p><p>Loki wrapped a hand around Thor’s mouth, his eyes no doubt stricken with terror, and this time Thor finally stilled.  </p><p>The soft footsteps stopped not five feet away from them and picked up the Tesseract.  Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but he knew his fear, his absolute terror was obvious to Thor.</p><p>They stayed as still as possible as Ebony Maw passed them by.  </p><p>What felt like an eternity of pain flashed before his eyes, memories of his torture at the hands of the most insidious of Thanos’ children.  </p><p>“Brother?” Thor whispered, his hands finally reaching out for Loki instead of trying to claw his way back to a battle he could not win.</p><p>“Quiet,” Loki hissed and tried to bring himself back to the nightmare of the present, rather than be trapped in the nightmares of the past.  </p><p>Behind them, the Hulk had lost in a fist fight against a Titan.  Loki wasn’t surprised but he was almost out of options, and he barely had a hold of Thor.  He couldn’t imagine what it would take to subdue the Hulk, if it came to that.</p><p>“All-fathers,” Heimdall rasped, “let the dark magic flow through me one last time,” and then Loki heard the unmistakable sound of the Bifrost activating.</p><p>And then Hulk was gone.</p><p>And then Heimdall was gone too.</p><p>“Oh, no,” Loki whispered, because as much as he had never liked Heimdall, he didn’t want him dead.  Even when Heimdall had committed treason against him, he hadn’t wanted him dead.  Memories of a thousand trips to the Observatory to pester him with questions filled Loki’s mind as he watched the life leave Heimdall’s eyes.</p><p>He summoned every bit of strength he had and forced Thor to remain hidden, though it was only due to injury and loss of blood that he was able to do so.</p><p>“No, brother,” Thor said, his voice no doubt meant to be a shout but came out a whisper.  “He’ll die for that.”</p><p>“No, you would die for that!” Loki hissed and forced Thor down.  “You’re a king now, Thor.  You can no longer afford to go into battle half-cocked, with no plan.”</p><p>“Let me go, brother,” Thor cried as he struggled, his face twisted with tears and pain.  “I must avenge our people—”</p><p>“No, we must <i>save</i> our people!” Loki cried.  “They don’t give a damn about us right now.  His mind is already on acquiring the next stones.  We stay quiet and maybe we live to save our people and fight another day.”</p><p>In the past, Thor had never bothered to listen to Loki’s advice.  All their lives Thor had, at best ignored, but sometimes downright mocked Loki’s more strategic nature.  But the muscles underneath him stayed tense but unmoving, Loki thought perhaps Thor was a new Thor in the way Loki was a new Loki.</p><p>All Loki could hear was the labored breathing and soft sobbing of Thor.  He strained himself and picked up the conversation Thanos was having with his children.</p><p>Earth.  They were going to Earth next.  </p><p>Which made sense since the sorcerers of Earth had had the gall to keep the Time Stone for the last several thousand years.  And, if Thor was correct, the Mind Stone was currently placed in a living being.</p><p>“Just another moment, brother,” Loki whispered, willing this to be over.  Just let them leave so he and Thor could help their people in peace.  </p><p>As Loki had thought, Thanos used the Space Stone to transport his people.  He no longer needed a ship for himself.  He now had the ability to cross the universe with a snap of his fingers.</p><p>He held his breath for a moment, then another…</p><p>And then they were gone.  The attack on their ship was over. </p><p>Thor and Loki had survived.</p><p>“Oh, brother,” Thor said, not bothering to get up off the floor.  “What have you done?”</p><p>Loki wanted to defend himself.  Of course he would take the Tesseract.  What had Thor thought he would do with it?  Even Surtur’s fires weren’t enough to destroy an Infinity Stone.  Had he not taken it, Thanos would have only found it faster.  There was no way Loki would have allowed that to happen.  He took the Casket of Ancient Winters with him as well.  Thor should have expected him to do that, so in a way it was…</p><p>Loki looked to the floor, unable to look at Thor’s remaining eye.</p><p>“We must…”  He wiped his face, his eyes making tears for no good reason at all.  No doubt all the ash in the room.  “We must see who is alive and try to save as many as we can.”  He was unable to stand up for some reason.  Which was ridiculous because the threat was gone now.  No matter that he had just stood down Thanos, no matter that Ebony Maw had come within a stone’s throw of him.  </p><p>“We must—”</p><p>Purple fire engulfed the ship, setting an unnatural fire to everything.  Thor got to his knees and wrapped himself around Loki just as the fire began to destroy everything. </p><p>“Loki, do not let go!” Thor shouted as the ship was torn apart.  “Loki, hold on to me!  Loki, do not—”</p><p>Loki held onto Thor as tightly as he could and then there was nothing.</p><p>Just the cold, darkness of space.</p><p>*</p><p>“Seriously, you don’t have any money?”</p><p>Stephen truly didn’t mind paying for Wong’s tuna melt, but there wasn’t much he could tease him over.  Wong was relentlessly professional, punctual, and adept.  All of which was wonderful for a colleague and friend, but left Stephen with slim pickings for joke material. </p><p>As opposed to the material he gave Wong, which was apparently multitudes.  Over the past two years, Wong had grown to treat Stephen much like a little brother: strangely protective but a punching bag for jokes.</p><p>“Attachment to the material is detachment from the spiritual,” Wong said.  “Why don’t you just text Stark to take you out to lunch?  He can’t be too busy.”</p><p>Case in point.  Wong hardly missed an opportunity to tease Stephen about his friendship with Tony.</p><p>Stephen rolled his eyes.  “Stop,” he said. </p><p>“Somehow he always seems to know when you’re hungry,” Wong said, teasing him still.  “Wait five minutes and maybe he’ll show up.”</p><p>His heart may have skipped a beat, but he grumbled, “He knows I’m hungry because it’s lunchtime.  Not because he has some sixth sense.”</p><p>That was true, but not the full truth.  As much as he wanted to deny it, there were signs over the last two years that their temporary bonding had affected Tony.  Him showing up when Stephen was hungry was nice, but Tony seemed to know when Stephen needed him, truly needed him.  </p><p>When his hands were hurting and shaking so badly he needed the Cloak to help him dress, Tony would show up with his favorite tea.  When he and Wong had lost a fellow sorcerer to a demon raid, he showed up with a bottle of Scotch and listened to stories of a man he hadn’t known.  And a few times, when the absolute dread of facing the worst threats of the multiverse had Stephen terrified and in despair, Tony would show up with just himself.</p><p>Which was all Stephen needed.  </p><p>And through all of it, the last two years, the shadow in the back of Stephen’s mind remained.  Stephen now had no doubt Tony felt the effects in some way, even if he didn’t realize it.  Nothing else would explain his ability to show up just when he was needed.  </p><p>But Wong knew nothing about that, and Stephen wasn’t about to tell him.</p><p>Stephen scoffed.  “Tony does not ‘take me out.’  We have lunch together occasionally.  Sometimes.”  </p><p>“Twice a week is not occasionally,” Wong said.  “And sometimes it’s dinner.”</p><p>“We have to eat,” Stephen said.</p><p>“And somehow he always seems to pop up when you’re in one of your moods,” Wong said.</p><p>“He’s a good friend,” Stephen said, trying to dismiss Wong’s very valid point.</p><p>“A good friend who never lets you pay for your own meals.”</p><p>Stephen rolled his eyes.  “Consulting gigs are hard to come by when you can’t commit to a schedule, even when you were the best neurosurgeon in the world,” Stephen said.  “It’s kept the fridge stocked well enough.</p><p>“And it’s hardly <i>never</i>.  But I refuse to feel guilty for allowing my billionaire friend to <i>occasionally</i> buy my meals, especially if he wants to dine at a five-star restaurant.”</p><p>Wong usually never turned down an opportunity to tease him, but this was too much.  “And what is with you today?”</p><p>Wong smirked.  “Nothing.  Just must be nice, being courted by Tony Stark.”</p><p>Most of the time, Stephen enjoyed Wong teasing him like a younger brother.  Being an older brother himself, he felt like maybe he had some of it coming, but it mostly felt refreshing to know Wong cared enough about him to treat him with such familiarity.</p><p>But sometimes he poked in just the right spot. </p><p>Tony was in no way courting him.  </p><p>Stephen had tried to deny his feelings for Tony, even if only to himself, but it was difficult to fight your love for someone who was always showing up at your door when you most needed him.  And it was love.  After that first realization, there really was no denying it.  And how did Stephen have even a chance of not falling in love with the most amazing man he’d ever met.</p><p>But just because Tony had been an amazing friend to him for the past two years didn’t mean he felt the same way that Stephen did.</p><p>Which was fine.  Stephen enjoyed Tony’s friendship.  And if Stephen wanted more, that was his own problem.  Tony shared his time and his life with Stephen enough.</p><p>It was more than he’d thought he would get, and—after his failure to help at the airport—it was more than he deserved.</p><p>He wanted to snap at Wong, tell him he’d gone too far, but instead he muttered, “Who says ‘courted’ anymore?”</p><p>“Stephen,” Wong said, lifting a hand to show he was being serious.  “I make light of this because it’s obvious to everyone who sees the two of you together.  Even Stark’s ward can see it.”</p><p>“Peter,” Stephen said, thinking that was one more good thing Tony had brought into his life.  “He’s not his ward, he’s his intern.”</p><p>“And he’s not in love with you, you’re just a friend,” Wong said, like Stephen was an idiot.</p><p>Stephen sighed and sensed he wasn’t getting out of this.  </p><p>“You realize the sooner I leave, the sooner you get your sandwich,” he said. </p><p>“Then I’ll make this quick,” Wong said.  “You’re never as happy as you are when Stark is around.  And his smiles seem more genuine when he’s with you.”</p><p>“Oh, come on,” Stephen said, beyond annoyed.  “How do you know what his real smiles look like?”</p><p>Wong remained unimpressed.  “Friendship is a wonderful thing.  Love that comes from friendship is something I very much wish for you.  You deserve some happiness, and Stark seems to want to give it to you.”</p><p>Wong’s earnestness was almost too much.  His eyes focused on anything but Wong’s face, anything to not have to confront the truth.  </p><p>Because the truth was, there was no way Tony loved him.</p><p>“What do you want for lunch?” Stephen said, eager for this conversation to be over.  “I’ll see if the guys at the deli will take a metaphysical payment plan.”</p><p>Just as Stephen was checking for his wallet his phone buzzed.</p><p>There were still only a handful of people who had his phone number, but he fought the small thrill of hope that made his heart skip a beat at the idea of who it could be.  </p><p>“Is that the newest Stark Phone?” Wong asked.</p><p>“Shut up,” Stephen said, checking his message.</p><p>It was a picture of a small black duck with white wings that bore a passing resemblance to his hair.</p><p>
  <b>From Tony Stark:</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Ducktor Strange</b>
</p><p>He tried to fight a smile but couldn’t help himself.  It was so incredibly stupid and yet so endearing, and Stephen knew he was ruined.  Wong was right.  Stephen did love Tony now more than ever.  Little things like this weren’t helping the matter, they only made his love grow deeper. </p><p>Wong looked over his shoulder again.  </p><p>Instead of teasing Stephen mercilessly again, he sighed.  </p><p>“A tuna melt,” Wong said, and the awkward conversation seemed to be over.  “Preferably from that cart near the park.”</p><p>Stephen nodded absently, still looking at the stupid text Tony had sent him.  </p><p>A part of his heart that would always be foolish felt just a glimmer of hope, but he squashed it down.  There was no way someone as amazing as Tony Stark could ever love him.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, get this.  So I had this crazy dream last night,” Tony said.  He slowed his pace and turned to Pepper, just a little giddy to share.</p><p>“This is where I’m a good friend and say, ‘tell me all about it’ even though I know I’m about to roll my eyes <i>so hard</i>,” Pepper said.</p><p>“You’re such a good friend, Pep.  So, you and Happy…had a kid,” Tony said, remembering the dream fondly.  “Really cute, named him after your eccentric uncle.  What’s his name?”</p><p>Pepper stopped jogging and did the promised eye roll. </p><p>“Morgan!  So are you—”</p><p>“You really think I’m pregnant because you had a dream about it?”</p><p>Tony grinned.  “That’s not a no.”</p><p>“No, Tony,” Pepper said.  </p><p>“Aww, come on!  I want to be Uncle Tony!  Just think about it.  You’d be this great mom, ‘eat your vegetables, Morgan.  Go to sleep on time, Morgan’ and then I get to come visit with a bunch of toys and chocolate, keep him up late playing video games.  The little guy would love me.”</p><p>“I would hate you.”</p><p>“I would be his absolute favorite uncle, hands down, no competition.”</p><p>“Still not pregnant.”</p><p>“Well, is Happy gonna pop the question soon?  It’s been two years.  This is getting ridiculous,” Tony said, and he meant it.  “I remember when he came to me, asking for permission to ask you out…”</p><p>“Wait?  He asked you permission?” Pepper asked, getting that cute little crinkle between her eyebrows she got whenever Tony was being ridiculous.</p><p>“Yeah, of course he did.  Bro code.  He can’t just go out with my ex without coming to me first,” Tony said, but he had no idea why this had to be explained.  Didn’t everyone know the bro code?</p><p>“Okay, wait a minute.”</p><p>“Happy’s a great guy, is all I’m saying,” Tony said.  “When is he going to take the plunge?”  It wasn’t like Happy had any doubts that he wanted to marry Pepper, and he wasn’t crazy.  He knew exactly how amazing she was.  </p><p>Tony was so lucky they were still friends.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye he watched a flock of ducks land on a pond.  They landed so smoothly the water was barely disturbed, just the gentlest of ripples as they touched down.  As they came on land, they separated a little from the each other, and one of them walked up to them to see if they had any food. </p><p>“Oh no way, this is amazing,” Tony said, doing a double take on the little guy and pulling out his phone.  “This duck looks exactly like Stephen.”  </p><p>And it did!  The little Stephen-duck was all black except for its wings, which were a pure white.  He pulled out the remainder of his protein bar and scattered it for the little guy to eat, then he took a picture and sent it to Stephen.  </p><p>By the time he looked up, Pepper had a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her face, which was never a good sign.  </p><p>“What?  Did you want the rest?” he asked, gesturing to the wrapper.</p><p>“You want to talk about me and Happy, but what about you and Stephen?” she asked.</p><p>Tony struggled for a second, but managed to keep the smile on his face.  He had a feeling his eyes told the truth though, at least to Pepper.  “What about me and Stephen?  We’re friends, good friends.  Things are great.”</p><p>“Tony…”</p><p>Ugh.  He never could hide from Pepper.</p><p>“What?  We are.”  And they were friends.  Maybe even best friends, which was weird because Rhodey had been his best friend since he’d been an age where it wasn’t weird to call someone your best friend.  But he and Stephen were definitely something. </p><p>Before the fallout with the Avengers he maybe had a <i>little</i> crush on Stephen.  Nothing big, plus it was pretty natural to fall for a fellow big brain with a pretty face.  And Stephen was a next-level asshole so he could take whatever Tony dished out and vice versa.</p><p>For the first time in a long time, it had felt like he’d made a real friend.  He didn’t want to ruin that by trying to get into Stephen’s pants.</p><p>And for once he’d made the right decision because not long after they’d met, he needed a friend.  So much.</p><p>He’d almost clung to Stephen after the fallout of the Accords.  Rhodey was healing, he and Pepper were still working out their post-relationship friendship, and Peter was a kid. </p><p>So he’d maybe leaned a little on Stephen, but he tried to be the best friend he could be.  Tried to put aside his silly crush and focus on building a good friendship.  Stephen always looked happy to see him, so that had to mean something.  And sometimes, it was almost like Tony had some sort of weird sixth sense for when Stephen was having a bad day.  </p><p>Maybe it was some leftover magic from when Stephen saved his life?  He had no idea, but unlike other magic, whatever this was didn’t hurt.</p><p>Actually, it was the exact opposite. </p><p>He couldn’t describe it, even to himself.  It wasn’t so obvious as a chill running up his spine or the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.  But somehow, he knew Stephen needed him.  The closest thing he’d compare it to was Peter’s spider-sense.</p><p>And so his Stephen-sense would tingle and Tony would go.  No question, drop everything.  Stephen needed him.  Being there for Stephen was always the easiest decision.</p><p>“Tony,” Pepper said, looking around to make sure she wasn’t seen by overzealous photographers before taking his hand.  “You remember the other day?  Friday called me over because she was worried you hadn’t slept in two days.”</p><p>“Which was ridiculous because two days is nothing for me.  And I was on a roll!  The new nanoparticle suit—”</p><p>Pepper smiled that sad smile she used to when they were dating.  Tony shut his mouth.</p><p>“You told me you would stop work in a minute, but that’s what you always told me.  Then Stephen just…showed up.  With pizza.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said, but Pepper had no idea how common an occurrence that was.  That day Stephen showed up with pizza and helped Tony to wind down enough so he could sleep.  Stephen even walked with him to his bedroom to make sure he’d make it there.  </p><p>But that wasn’t the first time Stephen had shown up when he needed him.</p><p>That wasn’t even the tenth time.</p><p>Whenever Tony felt his lowest, Stephen somehow managed to show up.  Sometimes he’d bring cheeseburgers or coffee he’d picked up somewhere in Nepal—and thank God cause that bargain stuff they’d had before was garbage.  </p><p>Sometimes he’d show up empty-handed but it didn’t matter.</p><p>Because he showed up.</p><p>Not just when Tony was in a good mood and offered to pay for dinner.  Or when he happened to have tickets to some museum opening and needed a plus one.  Stephen showed up when Tony really needed a friend, and that was all it took for Tony to go from having a crush to falling and falling hard.</p><p>So maybe he’d made the right choice by not pushing for more with Stephen at first, but now he was in hell.  Because Stephen was the most amazing man he’d ever met in his life, and he was absolutely in love with him.</p><p>“In my defense, it was my favorite pizza,” Tony said, trying to steer back to safer waters.  “He put me in a food coma, I was defenseless.”</p><p>Pepper dropped his hands.  “Tony.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You know he feels the same way you do,” Pepper said.  </p><p>“Ah,” Tony said, his heart breaking just a little bit.  He started his jog again, considering lying to Pepper but of course she saw right through him.  “Nope.” </p><p>Tony tried to tell himself it was enough.  Most days he almost kinda believed it.</p><p>Because sometimes, if he concentrated hard enough, it was almost like he could <i>feel</i> Stephen with him.  Even when he wasn’t there.</p><p>He shook away the thought and looked away, towards some food trucks with lines of people waiting for food.</p><p>And saw Stephen himself.</p><p>He turned to the little Stephen-duck.  “Did you do this?”</p><p>The duck said nothing, which was incredibly suspicious.</p><p>“Doc!” Tony said, waving before he realized he’d just called a lot of attention to himself.  Camera phones went off as everyone realized they were in the presence of Tony Stark himself.  </p><p>Ah well, it was bound to happen.  </p><p>He greeted Stephen with Pepper in tow.  “A little far from the Village for a snack,” he said and heard a dozen camera phones going off, which probably meant at least a dozen more were on silent.</p><p>“Wong wanted a tuna melt, and you know how he gets when he’s hungry,” Stephen said.</p><p>“Yeah, I never get in between Wong and his lunch,” Tony said, smiling up at Stephen.  The sunlight was playing with the angles of his cheekbones, and his eyes matched the smile on his face.  “Things might be a little easier if I—oh, I don’t know—agreed to fund your Sanctum.  Since, you know, the two of you are literally all that stands between New York and eighteen-foot-tall fire demons.”</p><p>“Fire demons are at least fifty feet tall,” Stephen said, without missing a beat.  “Everyone knows that.”</p><p>“Yeah, Tony, everyone knows that,” Pepper said, with that knowing smile on her face.</p><p>“Ms. Potts,” Stephen said, looking embarrassed that he’d ignored Pepper.  And yeah, maybe he’d had only eyes for Tony since they walked up.  </p><p>Huh.</p><p>“Always good to see you, Doctor Strange,” Pepper said, a smile on her face.  “Tony, I think I’m going to head back to the office.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Tony asked.  He loved his biweekly Pepper run.  </p><p>“Yup.  See you for dinner,” she said and jogged away.</p><p>“I hope she didn’t leave on my account,” Stephen said.  “I’ve always liked Pepper.”</p><p>“You’ve always liked ganging up against me, is more like it,” Tony said.  “And no, she’s probably just tired.  She’s—you know—old and frail.”</p><p>They watched as Pepper stretched a little and then took off in a sprint towards the nearest taxi.  </p><p>“Yeah, she’s really falling apart,” Stephen said.</p><p>“She hides it well,” Tony said.  “So hey, if you want a decent sandwich there’s a place a few blocks from here that’s great.”</p><p>As he contemplated eating, he realized he had no idea how long it had been since he’d hungered for anything but Stephen.  And if Tony was making excuses to hang around him for a little bit longer, then that was his business.  </p><p>“I’ve seen what you call a decent sandwich,” Stephen said.  “I think I’ll pass.”</p><p>“What are you talking about?  I have great taste!”</p><p>“The other day I saw DUM-E put a piece of plastic in between two slices of bread and hand it to you.”</p><p>“That wasn’t plastic,” Tony said.  “It was a piece of what I can only guess was petrified pastrami that had gone <i>really</i> off.  Technically still edible.”</p><p>“You’re unbelievable,” Stephen said, but his smile betrayed him. </p><p>Maybe Pepper was right.  Maybe Tony did have a shot.  Maybe it wasn’t completely too late.</p><p>“Come on,” Tony said, and bumped into Stephen’s shoulder a little.  “Pepper abandoned me, and I haven’t had my walk yet.”</p><p>“We all know how antsy you get when you don’t get your walksies,” Stephen said, falling out of line and walking with Tony.</p><p>The day was gorgeous, a great day to have a run through the park.  Exercise was more of a Pepper-related activity for Tony, not something he ever really did with Stephen.  </p><p>For reasons Tony totally knew but pretended to ignore, he preferred to take Stephen places.  Lunch was a common occurrence, and dinner when he could spare the time.</p><p>“So did you tweak that bug in your new suit?” Stephen finally asked, breaking the silence.</p><p>“Bug?  No such thing.  I <i>improved</i> upon my suit, yes.  The boosters are now at least thirty-one percent more powerful, just in case I need to catch up to a plane or—”</p><p><i>Or catch someone who was falling</i>, Tony thought.</p><p>“I’m sure that will be useful,” Stephen said.  “The Cloak is an incredibly powerful relic, and being able to fly is absolutely invaluable, but it’s not very fast.”</p><p>“Which is why I should be able to come along with you when you face Beelzebub,” Tony said, taking the in.  “Maybe not all the time, but sometimes.  I could be helpful, in case you need me.”</p><p>Stephen sighed.  It wasn’t a topic Tony brought up often, but it had come up more than once over the last two years.  </p><p>Stephen was way too reckless with himself in battle.  Tony finally realized what he’d been putting Pepper through all these years because Stephen was a menace.  Yeah, Tony might have flown a nuke into a wormhole, but that was because there was literally no one else who could have done it.</p><p>It was a Hail Mary, a last resort, not something Tony would have chosen for himself.  </p><p>Stephen, on the other hand, seemed to have no qualms about offering himself up <i>first</i>.   </p><p>“I can be an honorary wizard.  No decoder pin, but I get to come to the meetings,” Tony said.  </p><p>“I’m not sure if I should be warmed by the offer or insulted that I can’t take care of myself,” Stephen said.</p><p>“The first one.  Definitely.”</p><p>“Tony—”</p><p>“Look, I just…”  Tony looked away from Stephen and stopped walking.  They hadn’t walked far, still around the lake with the ducks.  A few of them had gone back into the water, smoothly gliding around.  His hand almost ached with the want to take Stephen’s hand in his.  </p><p>He’d thought about it enough times.  He’d have to be gentle.  He’d go slow, to give Stephen time to pull away.  But maybe Stephen would let Tony hold his hand, and everything he’d been holding in for the last two years could finally see the light of day.  </p><p>He shoved his hand in his pocket.</p><p>“There hasn’t been much need for the Avengers, but I know that if I call you, you’d come,” Tony said.  “I just want to return the favor, Doc.”</p><p>The smile Stephen gave him was small, but his eyes shined and something inside Tony settled.    Tony clenched his fist and slowly took his hand out of his pocket.  </p><p>“Look, Stephen,” Tony said and thought about what Pepper said.  “I care about you.  And I—”</p><p>Just as he was about to take the plunge, golden sparks lit up into a portal, Wong on the other side.  The ducks abruptly flew away.</p><p>“Wong?” Stephen said, the Cloak darting out from the Sanctum to Stephen’s shoulders.  </p><p>Wong didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to.  On the other side of the portal, the Sanctum was in ruin.  Something had ripped through the ceiling and the staircase, destroying everything in its path.  </p><p>“What happened?” Tony asked, when suddenly there was movement on the other side.  There was someone else in the Sanctum with Wong, someone who looked familiar.<br/>
“Bruce?” he said, shocked to see his old science bro in the Sanctum, of all places.  Something that felt like ice stabbed through Tony’s heart.  He hadn’t seen Bruce since the Quinjet went off radar, just after the fight with Ultron.  He looked lost, like he’d been through his own version of hell.  </p><p>“Hey, Tony,” Bruce said, then crossed the portal to almost collapse into Tony’s arms.  </p><p>And just like that, all thoughts of sandwiches and maybe finally talking to Stephen were forgotten.  It was time to go to work.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, I can finally breathe.  It bothered me <i>so much</i> that Loki pulled a knife on Thanos.  I was more mad at the knife than at him dying.  </p><p>If you liked the chapter let me know!  I know Wandavision just dropped, and there's a lot of Stephen talk, so if you want to speculate hit me up.</p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Original Timeline: New York</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much to everyone who left a comment on the last chapter.  I just finished writing chapters six and seven this week and it occurred to me how much backstory I'm having to write so thank you to everyone who's reading along with me posting.  You are keeping me inspired.</p><p>If you read my previous long novel length you can expect more of the same: lots of build up and then a sucker punch.  I hope y'all have as much fun reading as I'll have writing.</p><p>Thank you to silent_serendipity and foxglove fiction for beta reading.  Here's what happened in New York in the original timeline.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He remembered a desolate alien world and all his friends laid out around him, dead and dying.  He remembered Steve’s accusation, that he could have done more.</p><p>Every step he’d made since then had been to prepare for this.  Every step—<i>every misstep</i>—had been a desperate attempt to be ready so when the big bad actually showed their face the world wouldn’t burn for Tony’s lack of foresight.</p><p>Knowing this was coming wasn’t making it any easier.</p><p>Fears planted into his heart years ago swam to the surface, Tony knowing that the thing he’d dreaded for so long had finally come.  Wong’s magic PowerPoint presentation ended and there was no doubt in his mind.  </p><p>The big bad he’d seen so clearly all this time was finally coming.</p><p>“Tell me his name again,” Tony demanded.</p><p>“Thanos, Tony,” Bruce shouted, already half out of his mind in panic.  “He’s a plague.  He destroyed the Asgardian refugee ship.  <i>Refugees</i>.  He killed Thor and Loki, and he’s coming here.  Now!”</p><p>Tony grunted and buried his face in his hands.  That was almost too much to believe.  If you took Tony out of his glorified tin can, he was just a man.  Very squishy, very easy to kill.  </p><p>But Thor was a god.  No one had even come close to hurting Thor, not even an extremely pissed off Hulk.  </p><p>And now Thor was gone.  </p><p>His friend was dead.  </p><p>Tony shook himself.  He couldn’t think about that now, couldn’t let it be real.  He’d have time to mourn when this was all over, but he wasn’t going to lose anyone else to this guy.  Not one person, let alone half of all life in the universe.</p><p>“This is it,” Tony said, mumbling to himself, but Stephen quickly came and grasped his forearm.  “He’s coming, Doc.  This is what I’ve known was coming.  This is it.”</p><p>“I know," Stephen said.  “But you’re not alone.  We’ll figure this out, together.”</p><p>Tony could almost feel Bruce’s eyes on them, but he didn’t give a damn.  He couldn’t panic now, he <i>couldn’t</i>, and Stephen’s shaking hand on his arm grounded him in the exact way he needed.</p><p>He nodded and shook off the fear that tried to paralyze him like a dog shook off water.</p><p>“We have two of these things on Earth, right?” he said, trying to ignore a muscle spasm growing in his calf.  “I know you’re pretty attached to that thing, Doc, but given the circumstances why don’t we chuck that one down the garbage disposal?”</p><p>He gave in to the need to stretch out his leg.  The older he got, the more he needed to cool down.</p><p>“Absolutely not.  And stop leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos,” Stephen said before the Cloak slapped his foot down.  </p><p>“Oh, Red, buddy,” Tony said, desperate for anything, even flirting with his fabric friend to try to distract himself from the growing sense of terror in his heart.  “You gotta take me out to dinner first.”</p><p>“Tony!” Bruce shouted into his hands.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m on it.  Okay, I know your order’s mission is to protect the Time Stone,” Tony said, trying to reason with Stephen.  “But if this guy is on his way here to end half of all life in the universe and he needs that shiny green rock to do, why not just get rid of the rock?”</p><p>“Several reasons,” Stephen said, like he was talking to a child, which was rude but fair.  “First and most important being that the Infinity Stones are the building blocks of the universe and needed to sustain life.  To destroy the stones is to destroy the universe itself.”</p><p>“Of course it is,” Tony said, and started pacing the Sanctum again.  “It couldn’t be that simple, could it?  Just set all phasers to kill and let all of this end before it really begins.”</p><p>“We would not allow that to happen,” Wong said.  “We are sworn to protect the Time Stone with our lives.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know all about it,” Tony said and again thought about threats against Stephen that he could barely comprehend let alone defend against.  “So what do we do?  Hide it?  Leave?  I have a few small space crafts, but they’re intended to work on satellites, not play galactic hide-and-seek with the glow stick of destiny.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t work,” Stephen said, shaking his head and obviously trying to come up with a decent plan.  “He’d find us.  He has the Space Stone, he can move across the galaxy in seconds.”</p><p>“God,” Tony whispered and put his face in his hands again.</p><p>“Look, at least we know where the Time Stone is,” Bruce said.  “Where’s the Mind Stone?  Where’s Vision?”</p><p>Absolute despair washed over Tony for a moment before he got himself under control and tucked it away.  “I have no idea.  About two weeks ago he went off the grid.”</p><p>“You lost another super-bot?” Bruce said.</p><p>“Don’t call him that,” Tony said.  “He’s more than that, so much more than the last time you saw him.  He’s evolved.”</p><p>“Who would know where to find the Vision?” Wong asked.  </p><p>Oh, this day just got better and better.  He cast a quick look at Stephen before he looked away.</p><p>“Probably Steve Rogers.”</p><p>“Oh, great,” Stephen said, voicing Tony’s thoughts exactly.</p><p>“Okay, so call Steve,” Bruce said.</p><p>“No,” Stephen said, coming back over and standing his ground like Bruce had just said he’d like to murder Tony on the spot.  “Absolutely not.”</p><p>“Might not have a choice, Doc,” Tony said.  “Bruce is right.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, why wouldn’t we call Steve?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“You’ve been gone a long time, Bruce,” Tony said, rubbing his chest where Steve had crushed the arc reactor, causing metal shards to almost tear his heart to shreds.  “The Avengers are over.  Gone.  We broke up.”</p><p>“Broke up?  Like a band?  Like the Beatles?”</p><p>“Exactly like the Beatles,” Wong said.  “Except John didn’t shove his guitar into Paul’s chest.”</p><p>“Uh, excuse me, I’m Lennon, he’s McCartney,” Tony said, because wow.  Rude.</p><p>“Stop,” Stephen shouted.  “We’ll find Vision another way.  There’s no way you’re calling Steve Rogers.”</p><p>Tony shook his head.  Stephen had reason to hate Steve, he knew.  Tony did, too.  But even after waking up to find out he’d almost died—or had died, as Stephen insisted—he still couldn’t bring himself to hate Steve.  They’d all acted terribly, they’d all hurt each other.</p><p>No one walked away blameless.  And if Tony and Bucky had been the only ones hurt, well.  No one won when you started taking score.  </p><p>“Tony,” Bruce pleaded, “I don’t know what happened between you and Steve, but it doesn’t matter.  Thor is gone.  This guy ended Thor like he was nothing.  And he’s on his way.  Isn’t that enough?”</p><p>That little shadow in the back of his mind shifted a little and Tony felt a tremor of fear that wasn’t his own wrap around him.  He turned to Stephen and their eyes met. </p><p>There was a plea in Stephen’s eyes Tony had never seen before.  Some silent prayer that Tony please not do this, they could find another way.  </p><p>But what did Tony’s problems matter compared to the end of half of all life as he knew it?  </p><p>Tony sighed and pulled out his phone and Steve’s saved number, but stopped when a shaking hand landed on his.  </p><p>Even now, even with an axe hanging over their heads, Stephen’s touch damn near burned him.  He wanted to drop the phone, twist his hands around, and take Stephen’s hand in his.  Wanted to pull him close, wanted—</p><p>“Tony, he almost killed you,” Stephen said, his voice low.  “No, he did kill you.  You would be dead if not for my intervention.”  </p><p>Silence stretched between them.  No one moved as the moment dragged on, Stephen giving a silent plea that was damn near impossible for Tony to ignore.  </p><p>It stretched on until Wong shifted on his feet and asked, “And what intervention was that?”</p><p>Stephen froze, his eyes going wide for just a split second before he schooled his face to his default nonchalance.  </p><p>But Tony had seen that flinch.  </p><p>Just as he was about to ask what Wong was talking about, Stephen’s hair moved like wind was blowing through it.</p><p>“Stephen?  You doing that thing where you make your hair move to make yourself look cool?”</p><p>“I don’t do that,” Stephen said.  “But…no.”</p><p>There was screaming in the distance.  Something about this felt all too familiar, some half-forgotten nightmare that escaped his brain and somehow made it to the light of day. </p><p>Almost as one, the four men made their way outside.  A strong wind was cutting through the Village, people running from something here to destroy everything.  Every person on the streets was running away from something when the four of them were moving towards it.  Maybe there was some metaphor there that Tony didn't have time to analyze, but mostly he heard Pepper’s voice over all the wind asking with terror on her face, <i>“Are those bullet holes?”</i></p><p>Yeah, those had been bullet holes.  And right now Tony was walking towards the killing fields with two wizards and a guy who could swallow a bullet and survive.  </p><p>Maybe these weren’t the worst odds.</p><p>The wind whipped through his hair and a low hum rattled the fillings in his teeth as they finally found the source.  In the center of the street stood a ship, like something directly out of Tony’s nightmares.  Two figures descended from it to stand in the middle of the street, like some twisted version of an Old West movie.</p><p>The wind still whipped through his hair, and dust threatened to get caught on his lenses, but that’s where the comparisons ended.  </p><p>Before they could be seen Tony pulled the other three men aside and hid behind an overturned van. </p><p>“Okay, so we got a big guy and a little guy.  Something tells me the little guy is way scarier than the big guy.” </p><p>“I know them,” Bruce said.  “The big one is Cull Obsidian, the little one is Ebony Maw.  They were both on the Statesmen.  These are the guys that killed half of the refugees.  I think Ebony Maw is a sorcerer.”</p><p>
  <i>Perfect.</i>
</p><p>“Of course he is,” Tony grunted, then looked to Stephen and asked, “you getting anything from him, Doc?”</p><p>Stephen moved his hands and cast a spell over his own eyes.  They glowed golden for a moment, then he said, “Yes.”  He paused, and Tony saw something that looked a lot like fear flash in Stephen’s eyes before he shook it off.  “He’s a powerful sorcerer.”</p><p>“How powerful?” Wong asked.</p><p>They shared a look, but Stephen said nothing. </p><p>“Wonderful,” Tony said.  Sometimes he still hated magic.  “Okay, here’s the plan.”</p><p>“Oh, no,” Wong said.</p><p>“Hey, my plans are good,” Tony said.  “Distraction.  I’ll blast the little guy with my biggest gun, while Stephen traps him in the Phantom Zone with one of his portals.”</p><p>“Mirror Dimension,” Stephen said.</p><p>“That’s exactly what I said,” Tony replied.  “But we eliminate the biggest threat first.  Then, Bruce lets his big guy out, then his big guy fights that big guy and Wong does the same thing.  Fool-proof plan, can’t lose.”</p><p>“People of Earth!” Ebony Maw shouted.  “Hear me and rejoice!”</p><p>“That’s your plan?” Stephen hissed.  “The ol’ switcheroo?  The oldest trick in the book?”</p><p>“You are so Midwestern,” Tony said.  “Plus, you haven’t seen the new suit yet.  He’ll be impressed for at least a few seconds.”</p><p>“Tony, please.”  </p><p>“Bright, flashy, devastatingly handsome.”</p><p>“Tony…”</p><p>Stephen reached out, but stopped just shy of touching Tony’s hand.  There was something in his eyes, something that threw fuel to the fire raging inside Tony, but now wasn’t the time.  Nothing was certain now, if it ever had been.  Tony’s eyes drifted down along Stephen’s neck to the vee of his tunic.</p><p>“Might want to stick your pretty necklace in your pocket, Doc,” Tony whispered.</p><p>Stephen shook his head.  “Might need to use it.”</p><p>Tony bit his lip, his heart pounding.  “Now who’s being reckless?”</p><p>“They already know it’s here,” Wong whispered and held up his hands, prepared to strike.  “Might as well have it ready.”</p><p>“You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos!” Ebony Maw continued.</p><p>“Now seems the best time, don’t you think?” Tony asked and enacted phase one of the plan.  “Bruce, come get a piece of this.”  He stepped out from behind the van, walking slowly towards creatures hell bent on universal destruction, but all he could think of was protecting Stephen.</p><p>The closer Tony got the uglier they got.</p><p>“Be thankful that your meaningless lives—”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Earth is closed today!  You need to pack up your big ugly spaceship and leave!”</p><p>Ebony Maw looked Tony up and down, his eyes <i>crawling</i> over him.  </p><p>He’d learned to control his fear a long time ago.  By now, the witty comeback and eyebrow quirk were almost second nature, and a perfect mask for an almost paralytic fear.  Fear for Earth, for the Time Stone, and of losing the one person he couldn’t live without.</p><p>He balled that fear right up and swallowed it as best he could.  He was just one man—even if he was Iron Man—standing up to two aliens whose boss was bent on destroying the universe.  So yeah, he was afraid, but fear he could handle.  Just one more enemy for Tony to tear down.</p><p>But he didn’t expect the feeling of absolute revulsion he felt as Ebony Maw turned his gaze on him.  Every internal warning bell went off, every instinct inside of him telling him to grab Stephen and his friends and run as far away as he could.  </p><p>If he was as wise as he was smart, he’d listen to himself.</p><p>“Where is the Stone Keeper?”  He took a few steps closer, and Tony surprised himself by almost taking a step back.</p><p>There was no backing away now.  These guys were here for Stephen.  “No idea what you’re talking about,” Tony said.  “By the way, we eat your kind for Sunday brunch here, so you might want to check out.”</p><p>“I know he is close,” the Maw said.  “Tell me where he is or I will pry it out of your mind.”  Tony felt something slither past his neck and recoiled.  “And I’ll kill him slowly, while you watch.”</p><p>Tony swallowed the witty comeback he’d had on the tip of his tongue.  There was no way anyone was touching Stephen.</p><p>“Over my dead body.”</p><p>That <i>thing</i> actually smiled.  “I have no strong preference about which of you is the first to die.”  Pieces of pavement levitated in front of Ebony Maw and bits of them broke off until they were shaped like knives.  Then they flew at Tony.</p><p>With a tap of his fingers, the nanoparticles flowed around him, his greatest weapon and best defense all at once.  With one hand he readied the biggest repulsor he had, let Friday read his mind by setting it to its highest setting and aimed at the ugly bastard’s head.  With his other, he blocked the concrete bullets so they shattered to dust.</p><p>Cull Obsidian moved way quicker than he predicted, but Tony used his shield just before an axe hit his head.  </p><p>“Hulk?” Tony shouted, and fired his repulsors at the big guy, blowing him back to take out Ebony Maw but the bastard batted him away with a hand at the last second like the weight of a giant meant nothing.  </p><p>From behind Tony, red bands made of fire crept along the road before they wrapped around Ebony Maw, binding him down to the ground.  </p><p>“That’s great, Doc, but not the plan,” Tony said.  “Hulk, where are you?”</p><p>“Doctor Banner seems to be having a problem,” Wong said.</p><p>“What kind of problem?” Tony shouted, and shielded another attack from Cull Obsidian.  “Bruce, get your guy in the game.  We have to protect Stephen!”</p><p>“It’s the Time Stone we have to protect.  Stephen has himself well in hand,” Stephen shouted, his glowing red bands wrapping further around the Maw’s face until he was completely trapped.  </p><p>The bands flashed and flared, and even though Tony had never seen this spell, it didn’t seem like they were supposed to do that.  The bands almost seemed to <i>flex</i> and then Ebony Maw shook them off.  </p><p>“I expected more from a Stone Keeper,” he said, and waved a hand.  Stephen’s feet started dragging towards him.  “But I suppose this backwater planet could do no better.”</p><p>“You think this is backwater,” Stephen said, and a flaming whip broke whatever invisible pull Ebony Maw had had.  “You should have seen the tractor pull.”  </p><p>The flaming whip flew over Tony’s head and threw Ebony Maw back towards his ship.  With a wave of his hands, Wong used magic to pick up a truck and threw it at the big guy’s head.</p><p>“Okay, new plan,” Tony said, while the two aliens regrouped.  “Get Stephen as far away from here as possible.”</p><p>“That wouldn’t help, Tony,” Bruce said, his skin just a little green.  “That stone is putting out enough energy to light up a planet.  That’s how I got here.  That’s how <i>they</i> got here.”</p><p>“He’s right,” Wong said.  “If Stephen runs, they will follow.”</p><p>The truck flew into the air as Cull Obsidian threw it off like it was nothing.</p><p>“Then he keeps running,” Tony said.  “Or at least until we come up with a better plan.  Anything but—”</p><p>Cull Obsidian ran towards them, Tony calling back his shield and his biggest guns to stop his charge.  “Can nothing hurt this guy?  If we keep throwing trucks at him it’ll only slow him down.”</p><p>He fired another blast at him, but his thick hide and whatever alien armor he wore shielded him from most of Tony’s blasts.</p><p>“Doctor Banner, I think it best if you are elsewhere right now,” Wong said, and threw a whirling portal towards Bruce to get him out of the way.  Time seemed to slow down as Cull Obsidian ran towards the portal and managed to slip through just before it closed.</p><p>“No, no, no,” Tony shouted as he flew towards where the portal had just closed.  “Where did you send them?”</p><p>“Washington Square Park,” Wong said, aghast.  “Doctor Banner is defenseless.”</p><p>“And so is New York,” Tony whispered as he froze.  He couldn’t leave Stephen alone against that nightmare version of Squidward.  </p><p>From the rubble, Ebony Maw emerged and unearthed a tree, sending it hurdling towards Stephen, who created a spinning mandala that tore through the bark like a wood chipper.  </p><p>“Go help Bruce, Tony,” Stephen said, easily handling everything that was thrown his way.  “I have this.”</p><p>Tony was about to say no, that there was no way he was going to leave Stephen, but then he heard a roar and crash that shook the ground under his feet.  </p><p>“You help Banner,” Wong said, opening a portal under Maw’s feet.  “We have this one.”</p><p>Tony didn’t need Friday to remind him where the park was.  He just had to follow the trail of explosions.  He found Cull Obsidian throwing cars around like they were baseballs, and had to look to find Bruce trying to dodge them.  </p><p>“Hey, not a good idea, big guy,” Tony said, and pulled out two sets of curved metal arcs that emanated blue light, launching Cull Obsidian into the ground.  “You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.”</p><p>Bruce was hiding between four cars that had landed piled on top of each other.  </p><p>“Hey, there we go,” Tony said, turning over a car.  He looked Bruce over, but didn’t find so much as a scratch.  “What would have happened if one had fell on you?”</p><p>“I don’t know!” Bruce shouted.  “This has never happened before, but he won’t come out!”  </p><p>“Yeah, okay,” Tony said.  “Look, get back to the Sanctum, just stay there until we get—”</p><p>Cull Obsidian’s giant hammer flew through the air, Tony just barely throwing up his shield in time to avoid it.  Tony blasted him again with his cannon, but he just shook it off and lifted his hammer again.  </p><p>He lifted his shield and prepared to take another hit, but it never came.</p><p>“Hey, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, as he casually held back the biggest hammer that Tony had ever seen.</p><p>“Peter?” Tony said, terror washing over him because God no, Peter couldn’t be here too.  “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Saw the big ship on the way to the MOMA,” Peter said, and used his web and actually managed to get a hold on the hammer, keeping it from coming down on Tony again.  “What’s this guy’s problem?”</p><p>As much as Tony desperately wanted to tell Peter to go home, run, run as far as he could, he also knew Peter wouldn’t listen to him.  The kid was way too much like him to leave when he could help.  </p><p>And with Bruce out, Peter could help protect Stephen.  </p><p>“He’s here for Stephen, kid,” Tony said.  “He’s here to hurt him.”</p><p>“Doctor Dad?” Peter asked with a loud gasp.  </p><p>“Doctor…what?”</p><p>“I mean, Doctor Strange,” Peter said.  “What does he want Doctor Strange for?”</p><p>“Friday, hit this guy with all we’ve got,” Tony said, pulling up his crescent repulsors again.  Blue light flooded his vision as he pummeled Cull Obsidian into the ground.  “If this doesn’t do the trick, we gotta think of something bigger.”  </p><p>The big guy just shook it off and made his way towards Tony.</p><p>“You know that big necklace he always wears?” Tony said, and again fired his repulsors at maximum power.  Cull Obsidian went flying through the air, tearing down trees and creating a hole in the middle of the park.  “Turns out it’s one of the cornerstones of the universe, so they absolutely cannot have it.”</p><p>“Got it,” Peter said, coming over to land next to Tony.  “Where is Doctor Dad?  I mean, Strange?”  </p><p>Cull Obsidian got up again.  This guy was like the worst version of Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers all at the same time.  He didn’t even seem to be hurt by any of Tony’s punches.</p><p>“A few blocks down, fighting the guy from Pirates of the Caribbean,” Tony said, prepared to make another blast.  </p><p>Before he could, spinning, golden circles appeared just in front of them, and Tony’s heart leapt into his chest before Wong emerged.  </p><p>“What is taking you so long?” he asked, and of course he would be <i>annoyed</i> with Tony during a fight.</p><p>The ground where Cull Obsidian had fallen shook, and Tony took to the air again, sneaking a peek through the portal that was still open to see Stephen.  There was no way Wong would leave Stephen alone in a fight if he didn’t have it well in hand.  Right?  Right.  </p><p>Cull Obsidian charged and the portal closed, but not before Tony saw Stephen cast another red whip at Ebony Maw, and this time the Maw caught it and used it to catch Stephen.  </p><p>“No, no, no,” Tony whispered, just as the last spark of the portal faded out and Wong cast another one, this one opened to some snowy place where he promptly dumped Cull Obsidian, removing him from the situation entirely.  </p><p>Just as the portal was about to close, Cull Obsidian made a last-ditch attempt at escape and jumped through before Wong closed the portal.</p><p>Only a gross stump of an arm made it to the other side.</p><p>Tony didn’t waste a second.  “Get us back,” he said to Wong, because a portal would be faster than even his own repulsors.  “That thing—Ebony Maw—he had his hands on Stephen and—”</p><p>That was all Wong needed to hear.  He created a portal back to the Donut Ship, and they all ran through, Tony with his biggest guns out.  </p><p>But Stephen wasn’t there.  </p><p>He looked for signs of a struggle and found them quickly, bricks torn out of the ground, power lines sparking, light poles bent out of shape.  </p><p>And somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt a terrible chill come over him.  The shadow in the back of his mind, the little voice that would sometimes tell him that Stephen needed him, shouted at the top of its lungs.  </p><p>Not waiting for a better sign, Tony followed the damaged roads and buildings until he finally saw Stephen, flying through the air, lying prone on a slab of concrete right next to Ebony Maw, with the Cloak of Levitation flying after them.  They were already halfway to the ship before Tony could activate his thrusters.</p><p>“I got him, Mr. Stark!” Peter shouted and grabbed hold of the concrete slab, using a light pole that would have been dug deep into the ground to stabilize them.  With a flick of his hand, Ebony Maw unearthed it, and then Peter was being carried up into the spaceship too.</p><p>With no hesitation, Tony activated his new thrusters and took off after his friends.</p><p>After his family.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next week we are back to Loki!  </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Original Timeline: Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Did anyone else see the first episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier yet?  I already love it, but I gotta admit it's really hard moving on from my original favorites, especially Tony.  I foresee me clinging to him in fandom for a long time, cause damn when I fall for a character, I fall hard.  </p><p>Thank you to everyone reading along as I'm posting.  I know we're kinda still rehashing canon, but the little changes are totally necessary to see the whole story.  And the big event is coming sooner than than later.  I thank you all for your patience while we get there.</p><p>Thank you to foxglove_fiction and silent_serendipity for beta reading.  And thank you for all your comments!  You keep me going.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Awareness came to Loki slowly.</p><p>He was still freezing, and his head and chest ached.  Instinct kept him from opening his eyes, forcing him to rely on his other senses to determine what had happened.  The last thing he remembered was curling his body around Thor’s as they both tried to shield the other while the Statesman was destroyed around them.  </p><p>He remembered the cold and his body slowing down, his heart beating slower and his chest no longer trying to take in a breath, until he fell asleep.  </p><p>Now he’s here.  Wherever ‘here’ is.</p><p>He held back a grunt as his body was dumped ungraciously onto a metal slab, and he slowly realized that someone had saved him from the cold of space. </p><p>There were many voices around him, but none of them were Thor’s.  He called on every bit of control he had and forced his limbs to remain limp, his breathing to stay slow and easy, and his jaw to remain unclenched.</p><p>It was too easy to recall the last time he had been ‘rescued’ from the cold vastness of space.  There was no way of knowing who had rescued him or if Thor was with him unless his rescuers (captors?) started talking.</p><p>“How are these dudes still alive?”</p><p>The voice spoke a few feet to Loki’s right, far enough away that it was possible the plural he was speaking of was himself and Thor.  He held his breath and hoped that maybe Thor was with him still.</p><p>“This one is not a dude,” another voice said.  “You’re a dude.  This is a <i>man.</i>  A handsome, muscular man.”</p><p>The urge to huff almost undid him, but Loki held it back at the last moment.  That was enough to tell him that Thor lived.  He hadn’t failed his brother again after all.</p><p>“Now this one,” the same voice said as it came closer, “this one is a greasy little weasel.”</p><p>“His hair looks like it has been dipped in oil,” said a girl’s voice as Loki felt his hair lifted.  “Or like Rocket when he is soaking wet.”  </p><p>Only his ironclad control kept him from responding.  It wasn’t his fault if his hair required a great deal of conditioning.  It was almost impossible to get it the way he liked it, and he would not defend his own hairstyle to anyone, least of all in his own mind.  </p><p>“His pallor is sickly. ”</p><p>“Yeah, might need to shoot that one out before we all get Space Herpes,” said another voice.</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Okay, <i>why</i> are you worried about Space Herpes?” said another.</p><p>“This one’s muscles feel as though they are made of Cotati metal fibers,” said a woman’s voice.  There was something about that voice that was familiar to Loki, but he couldn’t quite place it.  </p><p>“How about you stop touching his muscles,” said the first man’s voice.</p><p>“He is anxious…” the girl said, “and angry.  There is so much pain…and great loss.”</p><p>Did they have a telepath with them?  Or an empath?  Thor had his own inherent magic, but nowhere near the control Loki had, especially with mental shields.</p><p>“Yeah, okay, we need to know who these guys are.  Go ahead, Mantis.  Wake muscle man up.”</p><p>Every part of Loki wanted to leap up and stop the telepath from touching Thor, but he managed to control himself.  Only the smallest twitch of his hands gave him away, if someone had been watching.  If these people were enemies, and they needed to fight their way out, they’d have the upper hand if Loki kept himself from their equation.</p><p>“Wake…”</p><p>Thor shouted and there was a mad scramble and flailing as he was woken so suddenly.  He took several deep breaths, no doubt going through the same thought process Loki had just a moment ago, and asked the question on his own mind.  </p><p>“Who the hell are you guys?”</p><p>“We’re the Guardians of the Galaxy,” said one of the voices, then introduced everyone individually.  “I’m sure you’ve heard of us.”</p><p>“No,” Thor said.  “I am Thor, Prince of—”</p><p>Thor paused and Loki could hear the sorrow in the gulp of air he took.</p><p>“I am Thor, King of Asgard,” he said, but his voice had never been softer and more defeated.  “Whatever remains of it.  That is my brother, Loki.”</p><p>“Is he sick?” asked Rocket.  “Cause even for someone who should be—you know, dead—he looks pretty bad.”</p><p>“Have care how you speak,” Thor said, his voice dripping with sorrow.  “He is my brother.  But, no, he always looks like that.”</p><p>Heavy footsteps neared him and a familiar shadow fell over him.  The cold vacuum of space could not wash away the ever-present scent of a storm that clung to Thor even now.  Calloused fingers that were far colder than Loki was used to felt for his carotid pulse.</p><p>“Loki, I know you’re awake,” Thor whispered.  “Please, brother, do not leave me alone.  A thousand years of your tricks might mean I know your tells, but don’t leave me to wonder even a little.”</p><p>Loki sighed, but did not open his eyes.  “If it’s so obvious I’m awake I don’t see why I should open my eyes.”</p><p>Thor exhaled and squeezed his forearm before he pulled away.</p><p>“Thank you for saving us.  Was there anyone else that you saw?  Anyone else that survived?” he asked.</p><p>There was silence for a moment and then Gamora—the familiar voice—asked, “Did anyone else survive the vacuum of space?  No, not that we saw.”</p><p>Loki sighed and joined the conversation, sitting up and putting a comforting hand on Thor’s shoulder.  His eyes sought out Gamora, and he couldn’t help the slight flinch as he recognized her.  Thor’s shoulder tensed, no doubt picking up on that small reaction, but said nothing else.</p><p>Loki waited a moment until he’d collected himself before he spoke, making sure that his voice wouldn’t shake.  “We’ll go back and look for survivors, brother,” he said to Thor.  “We are a hearty people, and many may have survived.”</p><p>“What happened to you?” Rocket asked.  “Who did that to your ship?”</p><p>“The Mad Titan, Thanos,” Thor said, without hesitation.  </p><p>Loki was familiar with many types of silences.  One has to be when one is the god of mischief.  His favorite one was the delightfully awkward kind of silence when one of Thor’s jokes fell flat but neither his friends nor the nobility of Asgard knew how to respond.  His least favorite silence was the cold vacuum of space.  </p><p>The one he heard now was awkward, but in a different way.  Every eye but Thor’s was turned to Gamora, who stood by herself in the middle of the room.  And though Loki had only seen her once or twice, he remembered her.  He hid his hands behind his back, calling up his magic with one hand and one of his daggers with the other.</p><p>“Gamora,” Drax said, “is—”</p><p>“—the daughter of Thanos,” Loki finished for him. </p><p>Thor’s left hand tightened like it felt the phantom hilt of Mjolnir, every muscle in his body clenching like he was prepared to fight.  He slipped from Loki’s side before he could think to hold him back.</p><p>“Your father,” Thor said, circling Gamora like a bird of prey, “destroyed my ship and murdered my people.”</p><p>“Thor—”  As much as he was uncertain in their current situation, attacking first would get them nowhere.  And these were not the type of people Thanos would use in his service.  They lacked discipline, yes, but they also didn’t seem to possess the absolute cruelty needed to be in Thanos’ employ.</p><p>Not even Gamora, who was his ‘daughter.’</p><p>“Stepfather, actually.  Or adopted father, really,” Quill said.  “She actually hates him more than you do.”</p><p>Thor slowly walked up to Gamora and put a hand on her shoulder.  </p><p>“Families are tough,” he said.  “Before our father died, he told us that we had a half-sister that he imprisoned in Hel.  Then she returned and stabbed me in the eye, and I had to kill her.  But that’s life.  A never-ending cycle of pain.”</p><p>And now this was a new silence.  Awkward but not because Thor told a bad joke, but because he was having a breakdown.</p><p>“I’ve seen you before,” Loki said to Gamora.  “On the Sanctuary.”</p><p>Gamora looked Loki up and down but shook her head.  “He usually had me running one mission or another.  I was never there long enough to meet anyone he dealt with.”</p><p>“I wasn’t there of my own free will,” Loki said.  </p><p>Silence again.  Thor broke away from Gamora and returned to Loki’s side.  </p><p>“Even less of a chance I’d see you then,” Gamora said.  “I tried to stay as far away from Ebony Maw’s sessions as I could.”</p><p>A shudder ran down Loki’s spine at his torturer’s name being spoken aloud.  </p><p>“He was there, on our ship with Thanos,” Loki said.  “He’s after the Infinity Stones.”</p><p>Gamora’s eyes went wide, and the entire crew erupted into chaos.  At least Loki now knew that these people were enemies to Thanos, and people they could possibly ally with.  With no ship, no credits, and no home to return to, they had little else to work with.</p><p>“He has two of the Stones,” Thor said.  “He took the Power Stone when he decimated Xandar.  He took Space from us when he destroyed our ship.”</p><p>“Xandar?” Quill said, obviously wanting to know more, but there wasn’t any time.</p><p>“The entire time I’ve known him,” Gamora said, “Thanos has been obsessed with ending half of all life in the universe.  He’s been going planet by planet, killing half of the population.  That’s how he found me, by killing half of my people and taking me from them.</p><p>“But with the Infinity Stones, he could do it with a snap of his fingers,” she said, echoing the gesture with her hand.  “End half of all life in the universe.”</p><p>An oppressive silence fell upon the room, the echo of Gamora’s snap a heavy weight driving the air from Loki's lungs.</p><p>“Then I know what I must do,” Thor said, “but I must speak with my brother first.”</p><p>“Uh, yeah, go ahead,” Quill said and ushered them to a smaller room in the ship.  </p><p>Loki allowed himself to be manhandled by Thor, who seemed to need physical contact just to make sure Loki still existed.  As much as he wanted to claim to be annoyed by it, he found it comforting and allowed it.  </p><p>“I know what I must do,” Thor said again.</p><p>“So you said,” Loki said.  “And this where I tell you that it’s madness.”</p><p>“You have no idea what I’m about to say.”</p><p>“Does it matter?” Loki asked.  At Thor’s one-eyed glare he said.  “Fine.  What must you do?”</p><p>“Go to Eitri and ask him to craft a weapon that can kill Thanos.”</p><p>Loki opened his mouth to tell Thor his idea was insane but then he paused.  He hadn’t expected Thor to have a good idea, but it was better than anything he could think of.  </p><p>“There are two Infinity Stones on Earth,” Thor said.  “He sent his children to get them, but the Avengers will put up a fight.  Those stones won’t leave Earth, and Thanos will be forced to go there himself to get them.  And that’s where I’ll go.”</p><p>It made perfect sense.  Loki shouldn’t be so surprised.  Thor had been trained to be a king, even if he’d thought none of the lessons had penetrated that thick skull of his.  Apparently, some of them had.  </p><p>And then Loki remembered Thor was no longer the old Thor like Loki was no longer the old Loki.</p><p>“Brother,” Thor said, his eyes averted, “tell me the truth, please.  Thanos found you,” he said from out of nowhere.  “All those years ago.  When you…fell from the Bifrost.  It was Thanos that gave you the Scepter and started you on that dark path.”</p><p>He wasn't asking a question so Loki could deny it.</p><p>It was hardly a leap in logic, and Loki had planned to tell Thor someday.  He was no longer that Loki, but he wanted Thor to know the whole truth of what had happened to him.  But he did not plan to tell it like this, with everything falling down around them.</p><p>The room they were in was small, but now the walls seemed to be closing in around him, the air too thin to breathe.</p><p>“I knew it someone was pulling your strings,” Thor said.  “I just wasn’t sure exactly who.  But by then I was so angry with you I didn’t care why.  All I knew was that you had aligned yourself with someone who wanted chaos and destruction.”</p><p>“It wasn’t—”</p><p>Twice now Loki had sworn he would never defend himself for his actions on Midgard.  He had been honest in a way, even when brought before Odin in chains.  He was living the truth he’d always been told: that he was born to be a king.  He’d simply decided Earth would be his kingdom instead of Asgard or Jotunheim.  </p><p>He was no longer that Loki, but he would still not defend his actions against Midgard.  But not because he believed a throne to be his birthright regardless of the cost, but because he no longer wanted to pass the blame.  </p><p>“You looked so ill when I saw you on Midgard,” Thor said.  “Thinner.  Sickly.  I thought perhaps it was because of your fall, but it wasn’t, was it?”</p><p>“No,” Loki said, and cursed Thor for suddenly being so perceptive <i>now</i>.  Why couldn’t he have noticed all of that years ago when it would have mattered?</p><p>“You did not attack the Earth of your own volition, did you?” Thor asked, and it looked as though whatever Loki answered would break his heart.</p><p><i>Perhaps it still mattered</i>.</p><p>“I did,” Loki insisted.  “It was my choice.”  He would no longer blame his past misdeeds on others.  He was no longer that Loki.</p><p>“Brother, what choice would you have had?  That creature, the one on our ship.  Ebony Maw?”</p><p>All of Loki’s self-control couldn’t stop the way he closed his eyes and almost curled in on himself just at hearing his torturer’s name.  Cold fingertips slithered across his mind, echoes of pain and torment screaming a path across his soul. </p><p>“What did he do to you to convince you to attack the Earth?” Thor asked.  “And why do you still claim it was your fault?”</p><p>“Because my actions were my own,” Loki said, insisting Thor hear him.  “They did not do to me what I did to your companions.  They did not control my mind.”</p><p>Thor was silent for a moment, but Loki couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or confused.  It was as though he had to relearn all of Thor’s tells.  </p><p>“What would have happened to you if you had said no?” he asked quietly, and in a way that told Loki he was not expecting an answer. </p><p>Loki closed his eyes.</p><p>“You think I am blameless,” Loki said.  </p><p>“And you feel the blame is all yours,” Thor said.  “Maybe the truth is more complicated.  Isn’t that something you always tell me?”</p><p>Maybe Thor had been listening all those years to more than just his father and his advisors.  Maybe this new Thor was someone Loki had underestimated in more ways than one. </p><p>Thor waited a moment for Loki to respond, and when he didn’t, he opened his arms and embraced him.</p><p>The smell of a thousand summers surrounded him, as though all of his most pleasant memories were embracing him and holding him up even though he was falling apart.  The hug was warm and all-encompassing, and Loki didn’t even pretend to want to cast it off.  His eyes closed of their own volition and something inside of him took a breath for the first time in years. </p><p>He wrapped his arms around Thor and returned the hug. </p><p>But he couldn’t allow himself to dwell in this moment for long, no matter how much he might have needed it.  </p><p>“Am I to go with you to Nidavellir?” he asked, his voice muffled in Thor’s shoulder.  “Eitri hates me.”</p><p>“Eitri needs to get his head out of his ass.  You damaged one forge—”</p><p>“Several.”</p><p>“Truly?  Well, you damaged several forges, one time—”</p><p>“Oh, it was hardly just the once.”</p><p>Thor pulled away and said, “Well, then I know exactly where you must go next, brother.  Knowhere.”</p><p>“I am Groot!” said Groot from just outside their door.  </p><p>Loki was about to shout at Quill for allowing his crew to eavesdrop on what was obviously an incredibly private conversation when he realized what Groot had said.  </p><p>“You know the Collector?” Loki asked.</p><p>“You speak Groot?” Rocket asked.</p><p>“No, we speak the Allspeak,” Thor said, opening the door fully.  Both Thor and Loki left the small room that had obviously afforded them no privacy.  All the Guardians were standing outside with absolutely no shame.  </p><p>Gamora looked directly into Loki’s eyes and all of him was laid bare.</p><p>“If you were listening, you know the plan.  I will take your pod to Nidavellir where I’ll have a new hammer made,” Thor said.</p><p>“That’s a made-up word,” Drax said.</p><p>“All words are made up.”</p><p>“Wait a minute, that place is real?” Rocket asked with stars in his eyes.  “They make the most powerful, horrific weapons to ever torment the universe.  I would very much like to go there, please.”</p><p>“Excellent,” Thor said.  “We will go to Nidavellir and Eitri the Dwarf will make me a weapon.   One that can kill Thanos.  Loki and the rest of you will go to the Collector and retrieve the Reality Stone before Thanos does.”</p><p>“How do we know he’ll go there first?” Quill asked.  “What if he goes to Earth?”</p><p>Thor shook his head.  “He sent his children to Earth, but they’ll fail.  He doesn’t know that yet.  So he’ll go to Knowhere since he knows the Reality Stone is there.  No one knows where the Soul Stone is.”</p><p>“No one has ever even seen the Soul Stone is more like it,” Loki said.  Gamora shifted her eyes away from Loki.  </p><p>What an absolutely terrible tell to have.</p><p>“If he gets to Knowhere first and gets another stone he’ll be too powerful to stop,” Gamora said.  “With two he’s already the most powerful being in the universe.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Thor said.  “So get to Knowhere before Thanos.  Stop him from getting one more stone.”</p><p>The little rat creature that in no way resembled his hair spoke with Thor about the trip, but Loki’s eyes were on Gamora’s.  </p><p>No one in recorded history had ever seen the Soul Stone nor did anyone know its location.  The only reason they even knew it existed was legend and myth, and because of the knowledge that the dead didn’t simply cease to exist but went on to places like Hel or Valhalla.</p><p>But Gamora knew something.</p><p>The only question was whether or not the daughter of Thanos had told her father.</p><p>“Brother,” Thor said, grabbing Loki into another hug.  “I will meet you on Earth.  Please take care.”</p><p>“Please tell Eitri I hate him,” Loki said, and for once he wasn’t the first one to pull away.</p><p>*</p><p>He’d spent the last several years running from Thanos, and now he found himself on a mission that would bring him far closer to the Mad Titan than he wanted to be.  Surviving his encounter with Thanos on the Statesman had been pure luck and the product of knowing that sometimes the best defense was hiding from detection, a lesson he’d learned at an early age.  What they were attempting now seemed suicidal, especially for him.</p><p>He pulled a spell book on defensive spells from his pocket dimension, then another on cloaking spells, and another on curses though he knew it wouldn’t do any good.  There was no single spell in existence that would unmake Thanos.  Their only hope in defeating him was Thor.</p><p>A weapon forged by Eitri in his brother’s hand…</p><p>That might be enough to kill a Titan.</p><p>He searched to find a quiet spot to sit and read when he heard Gamora talking from around the corner.</p><p>“Promise me, Peter,” Gamora pleaded.  “If things go wrong, if Thanos tries to take me, promise you’ll kill me.”</p><p>He'd clearly walked into what must have been a long, terrible conversation.  His earlier suspicion must have been correct: Gamora did know the location of the Soul Stone.  And she hadn’t revealed its location to her father.</p><p>“Yeah, okay,” Quill said.  “If it comes down to it, I won’t let him take you.”</p><p>The sound Loki’s boot made against the cool, metal floor was almost imperceptible, but Gamora’s head whipped around immediately.  </p><p>Quill cleared his throat and made an excuse to go check on the engines.</p><p>Silence stretched between Gamora and Loki, an oppressive almost tangible thing hanging in the air.  He knew his instinct to make some cruel remark was wrong, and not what he wanted to do.  These people were his allies, if nothing else.</p><p>“It's not an easy thing,” Loki said, almost casually, “having a warlord for a father.”</p><p>“What would you know about it?” Gamora asked.</p><p>"More than you would think,” Loki replied.  </p><p>Gamora was silent for a moment, then nodded, and started to walk out of the room.</p><p>“The same applies for me,” Loki said before she slipped away.</p><p>“Excuse me?” </p><p>“If Thanos sees me, I have no doubt he’d try to kill me, and I’ve already had more lives than a cat,” Loki said, walking closer though he wasn’t sure why. </p><p>It would be easy to say he felt a kinship because of their mutual origins.  Both fathers who stole them from their homes and raised them as their own, even if Odin hadn’t been quite as blood thirsty as Thanos.  </p><p>Or it could be their mutual fear, which was completely justified.  Thanos was a Titan, which made him almost impossible to defeat in itself, but he now had two Infinity Stones.</p><p>Fear was justified.  To know Thanos was to fear him, and there wasn’t a creature alive that felt different.  </p><p>But fear was where the similarity ended.  Gamora had something, something that she could not allow Thanos to have.  Something important enough that she was willing to die to keep it from him.</p><p>Loki no longer had the Tesseract.  If he told Gamora to kill him rather than let him fall into Thanos’ hands again, it wasn’t to protect anything but himself.  Because there was no way he would allow himself to be taken by Thanos or his children ever again.  </p><p>He’d die first.</p><p>The knowing look Gamora gave him told him she knew exactly what he meant to avoid.  </p><p>*</p><p>The galactic backwater that was Knowhere was exactly the sort of place Loki preferred to avoid if at all possible.  When he’d been acting as Odin, he’d sent the Aether here to that maniac Tivan not because he trusted him, but because he knew he would never sell it.  Loki would always know the whereabouts of the Reality Stone without the burden of keeping it on Asgard.</p><p>But even though he’d planned for such a contingency, he’d never thought he’d be here, teamed up with a motley crew to steal something under the nose of a genocidal warlord.</p><p>He’d hoped they’d gotten there before Thanos, but leaving the ship and seeing the utter chaos of the Collector’s prized collection showed that Thanos had beaten them here.  They slowly crept along the detritus when Loki heard the voice that almost stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>“I know you have the Reality Stone, Tivan.”</p><p>Fear was a paralytic, but Loki had learned how to master his fear a long time ago.  That did not stop him from flinching and his feet from freezing just at the sound of that voice.  With a deep breath, he looked over some overturned storage containers and saw Thanos dangling the Collector like a doll.</p><p>“I told you,” Tivan said, his voice hoarse, “I sold it.  Why would I lie?”</p><p>“I imagine it’s like breathing for you,” Thanos said. </p><p>Something was wrong.  Quill gave orders to his crew, but Loki couldn’t spare a thought for them.  His jaw clenched, his nails cutting crescents into the palms of his hands, and somewhere between fear and terror was an itch that told him this wasn’t right.  He just wasn’t sure what just yet.</p><p>“I will not wait, Quill,” Drax said from behind him.  “He pays for the death of my family today!”</p><p>“No, Drax, not yet!” Quill said as Drax dashed past him.  “He doesn’t have the Stone yet.  If we can find it first, we can get out of here with it.”</p><p>Mantis leaped from behind him and grabbed Drax’s head.  “Sleep…” </p><p>But she didn’t have the strength to catch him before he fell and revealed their position.  With a wave of his hand, Loki caught Drax midair and allowed him to land without making a sound.</p><p>“Okay, good.  New guy has magic, great,” Quill said.  “Okay, plan.  We be quiet and search this wreckage for the Reality Stone.  It has to be here somewhere.”</p><p>Gamora turned to Loki and pulled a blade from her hilt.  “Make a distraction,” she said and then ran to Thanos.</p><p>“No, wait,” Loki hissed and tried to catch her.</p><p>She was halfway there, a knife in hand before he could even attempt a spell to stop her.  </p><p>That itch was growing into a burning, some instinct inside of him saying this wasn’t right.  This wasn’t…</p><p>
  <i>No…</i>
</p><p>With a twist of his fingers, a shelf of antiques crashed onto the floor and both Thanos and Tivan turned.  Gamora leapt into the air, driving her knife into Thanos’ neck first and then deep into his heart.  </p><p>Thanos groaned and cried out ‘why?’ and Loki knew what was wrong.  As Gamora began to weep for the father she had to kill, it all became apparent.  </p><p>“Tears, daughter?” a ghostly voice said as the red of the Reality Stone washed over the vastness of Knowhere.  “In my heart, I knew you still cared.  But no one really knows for sure.”</p><p>All around them, fires raged, all of Knowhere destroyed and the Collector no doubt dead.  Gamora stood over the body of her father one moment and empty space another.  From behind her, Thanos approached slowly, no need to rush when he had such power.  </p><p>“Reality is often disappointing,” Thanos said, then gave a wicked grin and lifted his gauntlet.  “Or it was.  Now, reality can be whatever I want.”</p><p>“You knew I’d come,” Gamora said.</p><p>“I counted on it,” Thanos said plainly.  “There’s something we need to discuss.”  </p><p>“Thanos!” Drax sounded, Mantis’ sleep spell obviously having worn off quickly.  He began his charge only for Thanos to activate the Reality Stone.  Drax fell apart, his body broken up into blocks like the ones Loki would stack as a child.  </p><p>Mantis stood up, horrified, but also noticeable.  Before Loki could pull her out of sight, Thanos cut her into ribbons.  </p><p>Her eyes blinked up at him from the floor, all of her undone and unmade with a gesture from Thanos’ hand.  He was moving to her before he could think, before he could remind himself of his own good advice.</p><p>
  <i>Live to fight another day…</i>
</p><p>“You…” Thanos whispered.  </p><p>Loki froze.  His legs shook and he wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of him was Jotun blue.  Thanos had his arm wrapped around Gamora’s neck, Quill’s blaster was trained on him, but his eyes were on Loki.</p><p>“I thought I killed you…” he said, almost to himself.  Like it didn’t matter at all if Loki lived or died.</p><p>The witty comeback never manifested.  Loki stood there for the longest moment before Thanos turned from him—taking his eyes off the god of mischief like he was no threat at all—and back to Quill.  </p><p>He had no idea why Quill even bothered to point that blaster at Thanos.  He was just as powerless as Loki in the face of three Infinity Stones.  Then he realized it wasn’t pointed at Thanos.</p><p>But at Gamora.</p><p>He stumbled on legs like a newborn colt’s to Mantis, who was still cut into ribbons.  He called up all the magic he could think of and laid hands on her.  </p><p>A deep green mist came out of his hands as he willed his magic to put her back together.  It couldn’t be that difficult.  After all, it was magic that was keeping her apart when she should be in one piece.</p><p>“You are afraid,” the little ribbon-Mantis said, her eyes on Loki.  “And lost.”</p><p>“Peter, you promised!” Gamora shouted from over Loki’s shoulder.  He ignored her and tried every spell he could think of to try to put Mantis back together.</p><p>“You don’t know who you are,” Mantis said, and somehow she was crying.  Her body wasn’t even put together properly but she was weeping because Loki was touching her.  “Do I know who I am?”</p><p>She attempted to lift her ribboned hands, and it was only then that Loki realized he was only making matters worse.  It wasn’t magic that had done this to her.  There was no undoing what an Infinity Stone had done except an Infinity Stone.  </p><p>He was powerless to help her as he had been to save his people.  He was nothing compared to the might of Thanos.  What help could he possibly offer anyone?</p><p>“Peter!” Gamora shouted.  </p><p>“I like him,” Thanos said before he disappeared by the power of the Space Stone.  </p><p>And then he and Gamora were gone.  Drax and Mantis went back to their true forms, not out of kindness but because they were no threat to Thanos’ power.</p><p>He had never felt as lost as he did in that moment.  Even when his mind and heart had been split in two and he had fallen from the Bifrost, even when he’d been tortured and endured torments neither god nor man should ever know had he felt so untethered.</p><p>Silently, his thoughts turned to his father, to Odin, desperate for some lodestar to help him as he drifted through some foreign sea.  Like a child at prayer.</p><p>
  <i>“Father, is this a test?  Have I failed?”</i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really wanted some art to go along with this, and since I already went full cheese on the title I doubled down and asked Di for a movie-style poster.  It looks amazing!</p><p>You can see it <a href="https://why-the-face.tumblr.com/post/645761038623604736/commission-finished-for-atypicalsnowman-and-her">here</a>.  I have a full print out now to go on the wall, it's just so pretty!</p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p><p>See y'all next week for Iron Mage/Doctor Stark!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Original Timeline:  Iron Mage/Doctor Stark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, here's the scene we were <i>robbed of</i> in Infinity War.  I've always wanted to write this, and now I have.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  There's also a lot of references in this chapter, so I hope they're universal enough to appreciate.  </p><p>Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter.  Y'all are too good to me.  And thank you silent_serendipity and foxglove_fiction for beta reading.  </p><p><b>Chapter warning</b>:  Canon typical violence</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Friday?” Tony whispered as his faithful AI’s voice faded.  </p><p>And that was that.  They’d left Earth’s atmosphere and Tony had never even had the chance to say goodbye.  Blind panic threatened to overwhelm him and distract him from the fact that Stephen was being held on this ship, and he hadn’t looked good when Tony had last seen him.</p><p>So, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then another, and tried not to think about how he’d probably never see anything even close to familiar ever again.  He’d never see Pepper or Rhodey again.  He and Peter would never work in his lab.  He tucked all that away and focused.  There was no time for melodrama when Stephen needed to be rescued.</p><p>At least he’d gotten Peter to safety.  He’d never been so glad he’d installed a parachute in the suit.  After Rhodey, that was one mistake he’d never make again.</p><p>But now here he was, alone on an alien spaceship, outgunned and outmanned, and Stephen held by some B-movie’s excuse for an eldritch terror.  He put away his fear and locked it deep in the part of his mind where he kept all the things he wasn’t thinking about and walked towards the only source of light.  </p><p>Leaning over a railing, he saw Ebony Maw adjusting something on a console and Stephen suspended in midair, unconscious. </p><p>His fists gripped the railing too tight, and the metal bent under his fingers.  He had to bury the instinct to fire his biggest gun and try to get Stephen away.  His repulsor blast hadn’t made a scratch on the big guy, and he guessed it might be the same with Ebony Maw.  </p><p>And he’d only get one chance at it.  If the blast didn’t take him down, it would be Tony versus an evil sorcerer and if he’d beat Stephen, Tony didn’t imagine he’d have much of a chance.</p><p>So that left him with absolutely nothing.  </p><p>He was about to start scouring the ship for spare parts—hey, he couldn’t forget his signature move—when something red moved in his peripheral vision.</p><p>“Hey!” he said, maybe just a little too loud, a repulsor up and ready.  “Oh, thank God,” he said to the Cloak as it wrapped around him in a hug.  “Thought I was alone up here.  I’ve never been so glad to see you, Red.”</p><p>The Cloak patted his back before it backed away and gestured to Stephen.</p><p>“I know,” Tony said.  “But I got nothing.  I threw everything I had at the big guy, and he just shook it off.  I doubt this guy would be any different.  Have you seen anything here I could use?”</p><p>The Cloak shook its lapels and drooped a little.  </p><p>“Hey, don’t,” Tony said, “We’re gonna get him out of his and we’ll…figure out what to do.  But he’s not alone.  Okay?  He’s got us.”</p><p>“Hey, so good news,” said a voice Tony hadn’t expected to ever hear again.  “You’ve got one more.”</p><p>
  <i>No, no, no.</i>
</p><p>“What are you doing here?” he hissed at Peter.  “I sent you home.”</p><p>“Yeah, but I couldn’t leave you alone.”</p><p>“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Tony asked, his heart torn in two for what this meant for Peter.  For what it meant for May.  With one well-intended move Peter had made it extremely likely she’d never seen her nephew again.  </p><p>“Look, I was outside, but I was able to cling on to the ship.  This suit is amazing, by the way,” Peter said with a smile, like somehow appealing to Tony’s ego was going to make up for the colossal mistake he’d just made.  “And I thought about going back and not being able to help you save Doctor Strange and I just…couldn’t.  So, I found a way in.”</p><p>In the space of about fifteen seconds Tony had realized and accepted that it was very likely he’d never see Earth again.  Sure, Stephen could create portals, but he doubted he could make them from one planet to the next, never mind the next solar system.  He’d hated it, but pushed it to the side because he needed to save Stephen.</p><p>But now Peter was mixed up in this.  Peter who was way too young to die, and who he was responsible for.  And now because of him, Peter had a one-way ticket to God knew where with even uglier Voldemort.  </p><p>He must have sensed Tony’s terror, his absolute desolation and misinterpreted it for anger because he shuffled his feet and said, “Come on, Mr. Stark.  Don’t be mad.  Look, you can ground me when we get home.  No cool, new suit for a month.  Or a week!  A month would be cruel.”</p><p>Tony shook his head and bit down on his lip so hard he tasted blood.  “You don’t get it, kid.  We’re not going home.”</p><p>Peter stood up straighter, the sheepish smile draining from his face.  </p><p>“This isn’t some arms dealer who got ahold of alien tech.  The FBI isn’t going to show up and help.  There is no help coming.  It’s just you, me, and the Cloak, and all my tech didn’t do a damn thing against these guys.”</p><p>“I know,” Peter said.</p><p>“No, you don’t!  Because if you did, you wouldn’t have come.”</p><p>“Yes, I would.  I did.”</p><p>“You have no idea who we’re up against,” Tony said, though it seemed to be futile.  Peter was still young and innocent enough to believe in his heroes, believe in miracles when there would be no miracle here.  </p><p>“I know that they were strong enough to hurt you and Doctor Strange,” Peter said, not backing down.  “That’s enough.”</p><p>Tony shook his head.  “These two are just henchmen.  We’re on our way to the Big Bad, and he’s not someone who can be reasoned with.  He’s not gonna care that you’re a kid.  His goal is genocide.  Do you know what that means?”</p><p>Peter looked to the ground.  “Yeah, I know what that means, and it’s even more reason to come.  Look, if he wants…that…then isn’t it better to have all the help you can get?  And I love Doctor Strange too.”</p><p>Tony knew there was a certain amount of hero worship for himself and Stephen, but it didn’t occur to him that Peter felt so strongly about either one of them.  </p><p>Or that he knew Tony loved Stephen.  </p><p>A terrible wave of pride washed over Tony, so big he almost got lost in it.  Of course Peter wouldn’t hesitate to throw himself in the path of a genocidal warlord because one of his mentors was in trouble.  </p><p>He was so much like Tony.  In all the worst ways.</p><p>“Okay,” Tony sighed and brought Peter in for a hug.  Peter clung to him, wrapping his arms around Tony, and of course he was just as scared as Tony was.  </p><p>
  <i>Time to go to work, kid.</i>
</p><p>“Come here,” Tony said, regretfully letting go and leading Peter over to see where Stephen was literally hanging.  “We’re only going to get one shot at this.  So, you got an idea?”</p><p>Just as Peter was about to suggest something, Stephen started to wake up.  Ebony Maw had arranged dozens of razor-sharp needles all around him, none of them touching him but all of them threatening.  And with telekinesis being one of this guy’s powers, he had no doubt what would happen to Stephen if they didn’t get him out of this fast.</p><p>Tony could <i>feel</i> the exact second Stephen was aware enough to realize what was going on.  That vague sense that something was wrong, that little tapping on his shoulder shivered down his spine.  Stephen needed him, but now he didn’t need Tony to show up with a heating pad or tea.  Both their lives were on the line and Tony had nothing.</p><p>“In all the time I’ve served Thanos,” Ebony Maw said, his voice almost melodic as he dangled torture devices all around Stephen, “I have never failed him.”</p><p>He walked around Stephen, threatening him, letting him see every needle.</p><p>“If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan with the Time Stone still attached to your vaguely irritating person, there would be…judgement.”</p><p>“Um,” Peter said.  “Have you ever seen the movie Alien?”</p><p>“Ripley was one of my first crushes,” said a voice that should have been impossible to hear. </p><p>Tony whirled around and stood face to face with Stephen’s astral form. </p><p>“Ghost!” Peter shouted.  “Doctor Dad is a ghost!  Oh no!”</p><p>“I’m in my astral form, Peter,” Stephen said.  “Right now, I’m trying my hardest to meditate and not feel what he’s doing to my body.”</p><p>Tony snuck a look down and saw a needle enter Stephen’s face, right on his cheek bone. </p><p>The hum of a repulsor came to life before Tony even knew what he was doing.  With a deep breath, he forced down the impulse to start blindly firing.</p><p>“We need a plan,” Tony said softly but firmly, his voice deceptively quiet, “now.  That asshole doesn’t get to touch you.”</p><p>A transparent hand landed directly on top of his, but he felt nothing.  It seemed like he should feel cold or some hint of Stephen, but it was like nothing was there.  </p><p>But seeing Stephen’s hand on his ignited something inside him, fanning flames that had been growing for two years.  He looked up into Stephen’s eyes—icy blue, which seemed fitting—knowing his heart was on his sleeve, that Stephen could see exactly what he was feeling. </p><p>That shadow in the back of his mind flickered, something that might have been surprise and then hope before it faded away again.  Stephen looked lost, like he couldn’t imagine what Tony was screaming at him without saying anything.</p><p>“You need to get me out of there,” Stephen said.  “He wants the Time Stone, but I can’t give it up.  I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to meditate.”</p><p>“Kid,” Tony said, “what was your idea?”</p><p>Peter looked between the two of them like he had no idea what had just happened, but knew something had.  “Well, you remember how Ripley finally beats the alien?”</p><p>A light went on in Tony’s head.  </p><p>“That might work.  What’s stronger than my tech?”</p><p>“The vacuum of space?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“Exactly,” Tony said.  “We blast a hole and let Squidward get sucked out.  Peter’s suit has legs that can keep him from getting sucked out.  I have the suit, and Stephen you…”</p><p>Stephen’s astral form shuddered once and gasped and then he disappeared.</p><p>Below them, Stephen woke from his meditation and screamed.</p><p>“Give me the stone,” Ebony Maw said, grabbing Stephen’s chin.  “Now.”</p><p>The needle went deeper into Stephen’s face, and Tony knew they were out of time.  </p><p>“Red, buddy,” Tony said to the Cloak.  “Do you think you could hold him if I blast the ship open?”</p><p>The Cloak hesitated and Tony knew the answer.  The Cloak was strong, but the vacuum was stronger.  And there was no way Tony would risk Stephen.  </p><p>“Okay,” Tony whispered to himself.  “Okay.”</p><p>“Ordinarily I would start off small with my subjects,” Ebony Maw said, taking a dangling needle from the air.  “Go slowly.  Give you time to rethink the error of your ways.  But we’ll be on Titan sooner rather than later, and I will not face Thanos without that Stone.  Now…”  </p><p>He took the needle and placed it directly on Stephen’s hand.  </p><p>“Give me the Stone.”  </p><p>The whispering voice in the back of his mind roared, and Tony knew what needed to be done.  Stephen needed him, and he couldn’t hesitate for another second.  </p><p>Lucky for him his newer suits kept all the features of his older suits.  With a gesture that reminded him of Stephen’s magic, he commanded his suit to leave him.  Nanoparticles trickled up his legs and down his shoulders and he <i>pushed</i> with all his strength.  They flew across the room, past Ebony Maw, and onto Stephen with a flick of Tony’s wrist.</p><p>The needle about to go into Stephen’s hand fell to the floor as Ebony Maw realized they weren’t alone.  </p><p>The Cloak rushed to Tony’s shoulders, lifting him off the balcony and floating him down to where Stephen was suspended, as the suit was wrapping itself around him.  </p><p>Ebony Maw turned that creepy, crawling gaze to Tony.  </p><p>“You’re a fool to give up your only weapon,” he said, and called up the dozens of needles to aim at Tony.  </p><p>From behind him, the suit finished forming around Stephen, the nanoparticles fitting around him perfectly.  But in the center of his chest, where Tony’s housing unit would have been, was the outline of Stephen’s necklace.  The Eye of Agamotto.  The whole reason they were here in the first place.  </p><p>“Yeah, but you’re seriously underestimating the firepower of my outerwear,” Tony said, just as Stephen broke loose and stood up.</p><p>The needles started to twist in the air, Ebony Maw almost drawing it out.  Tony had complete faith in the Cloak, but knew there was no way it would be able to block all of them.  It was all up to Stephen now.</p><p>“Are all of your kind so irritating?” he asked and just one of the needles flew fast at Tony, the Cloak swatting it away without a second thought.  </p><p>Behind Ebony Maw, Stephen looked at his hands and raised his repulsors.  The soft, familiar hum filled the eerie silence, but something different happened.  Golden mandalas like the ones Stephen used formed around his hands, Tony’s power and Stephen’s melding to create something new.</p><p>For a moment, Stephen hesitated, staring at his hands like they didn’t belong to him, but then he straightened up and aimed.</p><p>“Get away from him, you bitch!” Stephen shouted and then blasted a hole right behind them.  </p><p>The vacuum of space immediately started to suck everything out, but Stephen wouldn’t know how to activate the nanoparticles to seal the ship back up.  </p><p>Ebony Maw was quickly ripped from the ship and out into space, but Tony felt his feet leave the floor, and he was powerless to stop it.  The Cloak wrapped itself around something to try to save him from being sucked out, but it failed like it had known it would and they went flying towards the hole.</p><p>“Gotcha!” Peter said, and used the Iron Spider’s legs to catch Tony and the Cloak, saving them from being lost to the cold, vacuum of space.  </p><p>“Kid, your web!” Tony shouted.</p><p>“Oh, yeah!” Peter said and started webbing up the hole.  That web was extremely strong, it should last at least long enough to get them to wherever they were going.  </p><p>The horrible sound died and everything that hadn’t been lost fell onto the floor, including the three of them.</p><p>“Okay, let’s never do that again,” Tony said, collapsing to the ground.</p><p>“Tony,” Stephen said, coming over to him.  “Are you alright?”</p><p>The softness of the light framed Stephen’s face perfectly.  There wasn’t a scratch on him.  Just a red mark where Ebony Maw’s needles had pierced.  His eyes traced down the suit, perfectly molded to his body in a way his tunic and the Cloak never were.</p><p>And in the center of his chest was that symbol.</p><p>Tony reached out for it without thinking.</p><p>“Oh,” Stephen said, looking down.  “The Eye of Agamotto appears to have integrated with the suit.”</p><p>“You were amazing, Doc,” Tony said, sitting up.  “That was—I’ve never seen anything like that.”</p><p>Stephen nodded.  “I wasn’t sure this would work, but this suit really is ridiculously intuitive.”</p><p>“Right?” Peter said.  “And also, oh my God, that was amazing!  ‘Stay away from him, you bitch!’  Doctor Dad is cooler than Ripley!  Seriously, this is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me!”</p><p>Tony looked over at Peter and hoped his disapproval showed. </p><p>“I mean, it was only kinda cool.  Or, you know what, not cool at all.”</p><p>“Are you alright?” Tony asked, deciding to ignore the Peter issue for now.  Without thinking, he took Stephen’s hands in his.  They were covered by the nanoparticles and—for the first time since he’d known Stephen—they weren’t shaking.</p><p>“Oh,” Stephen said, looking at his own hands.  </p><p>“Amazing," Tony whispered.  “Do they hurt?  I mean, is the suit hurting them?”</p><p>Stephen shook his head, still bewildered at his own hands.  “No, on the contrary, they hurt much less.”</p><p>Tony turned Stephen’s hands in his under the pretext of seeing the effect of the suit on his hands.  </p><p>“I’ll have to see about getting you some gloves then,” Tony said, looking up at Stephen.  “When we get back.”</p><p>Stephen gave a sad smile.  No doubt he knew what the outcome of this mission was likely to be just as much as Tony did.  </p><p>“Thank you,” he said, instead of saying what they were both thinking.  “I think I have something that belongs to you.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said.  “Thanks for looking out for me, Red.  Here do this,” Tony said, and made the gesture for the suit to return to him.  </p><p>The familiar feeling of nanoparticles forming around him followed and the Cloak went back to its sorcerer.  </p><p>Without a second thought their hands found each other’s again, both of them unable and unwilling to let go of the other.  Stephen’s hands were cooler than he’d expected, the scars from his many surgeries raising ridges that felt like a pathway Tony wanted to follow.  </p><p>The fire burning within Tony roared brighter.</p><p>“I’m sorry you got sucked into this,” Stephen said, his voice a whisper, not wanting Peter to hear him.  “If I had been a little faster this could have ended on Earth.  Now…I have no idea how this is going to end.  Or where we’re even going.”</p><p>Tony couldn’t take his eyes off their joined hands, how they could have let go by now, but neither of them wanted to.  All he wanted was to pull Stephen closer, see if there was anything more in the way Stephen was looking at him.  </p><p>Like maybe that fire was burning for him too.  </p><p>But they weren’t in his lab at the Compound or by the fire at the Sanctum.  They were in a spaceship flying towards a rendezvous with a warlord that wanted the one thing Stephen would never give up.  </p><p>“Titan,” Tony said, then gave Stephen’s hands a gentle squeeze before he let them go and started walking towards the ship navigation system.  His fists clenched a little at the ache of loss.  “That’s where Cthulhu said we were going.  To meet Thanos on Titan.”</p><p>He hadn’t expected to see English, but he’d been hoping the console would be a little more user friendly.  The alien script that was flying across the screen was gibberish to him.  It was extremely unlikely he’d be able to figure out how to disable the autopilot, let alone get them home.</p><p>“We need to get back,” Stephen said.  “Are you able to steer us back to Earth?”</p><p>An idea that had been lurking in the back of his head popped up and decided to say hi.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m thinking maybe we don’t,” Tony said.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“We don’t go back to Earth,” Tony said.  “Look, we have no idea if they overpowered Vision.  I mean, I want to say there’s no way, but look what happened to us.  And we’re a super powerful sorcerer and <i>me</i>.”</p><p>Stephen rolled his eyes but the smile on his face was too fond to fake exasperation.  </p><p>“So why go back to Earth where Thanos is just going to destroy everything looking for it?  What’s changed since we talked in the Sanctum?”</p><p>“Aside from being in a spaceship?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“He’s still going to be able to find you, Doc.  And if he’s going to try to find you anyway, maybe the best thing is to just go to him.  Spare Earth the hassle of being destroyed in the process, but we get the drop on him.”</p><p>Stephen lifted an eyebrow.  “So we get to Titan before he does and figure out a way to stop him there, before he ever comes to Earth.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Tony said.  “Between the two of us we have to have something that’ll work against this guy.”</p><p>“Um, there are three of us.”</p><p>He’d almost forgotten Peter was there.  God, had he really held Stephen’s hands and had eye sex with him in front of the kid?</p><p>“Peter, as soon as we get to Titan, I’m sending you home,” Stephen said, with a tone that said he’d take absolutely zero arguments from Peter.</p><p>“Um, sorry, Doctor Strange, but no you’re not.”</p><p>Tony had kinda had enough of butting his head against this surprisingly strong brick wall, but he was still on Stephen’s side in this.  Even cutting all feelings of love and responsibility away, having Peter around was a liability.  Neither of them would be able to concentrate on the task at hand if they had to worry about Peter being hurt.</p><p>Stephen sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  He looked to Tony for help, but Tony just shrugged his shoulders.</p><p>“I already told him.  Although, I had no idea you could make portals from across the universe, so that’s a load off my mind.  At least we can get him home.”</p><p>“Yeah, seriously though,” Peter said, and his voice might have shaken just a little at the end of that sentence.  “I’m not going home.”</p><p>“Peter—” Stephen started, only for Peter to cut him off.</p><p>“No,” he said, and gestured behind him, to where the hole in the ship was repaired by his web.  “That was my plan, and it worked.  When things went bad, I was the one who caught Mr. Stark.  If not for me he’d be—”</p><p>Sucked out into the vacuum of space.  Definitely not how Tony wanted to die.  His thoughts flashed back to sending the nuke through the wormhole, seeing the vastness of Thanos’ army and fearing—<i>knowing</i>—he was about to die.</p><p>“So, I’m sorry, Doctor Strange, but no I’m not going home,” Peter said.  “You guys need me.  This is my…I know you care about me.  But I care about you too, and I can’t—I can’t lose the both of you, too.”</p><p>Off to the side of the console was the largest chair Tony had ever seen.  It must have been made for the Big Guy, so it absolutely dwarfed Stephen as he sat in it.</p><p>“It’s not just that, Peter,” Stephen said, his tone thick with regret.  “If Thanos gets his hand on the Time Stone he’ll be unstoppable.  His goal is to wipe out half of all life in the universe.”</p><p>Peter shuffled his feet, his face much more pale than normal.  Tony reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Can he do that?” Peter asked.</p><p>“If he gets this stone, then yes,” Stephen said.  “He can.”</p><p>The enormity of their situation stretched out between the three of them, so big it was hard for even Tony to fathom.  He’d saved the world so many times, had saved billions of lives.  But now they were talking trillions, and that was a number even he had trouble thinking about.  </p><p>They couldn’t count on Vision to protect himself.  Not if the cronies who went after him were as strong as Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian.  They had to assume Stephen was the last man standing.  </p><p>Which meant Stephen had to protect that stone at any cost.</p><p>“Kid,” Tony said, because he could see how much it would hurt Stephen to say it, “what Doc’s trying to say is, he won’t be able to protect you.”</p><p>“I can take care of myself!”</p><p>“Peter,” Stephen said, and stood again.  “I have to protect the Time Stone with my life, and at the cost of anything else.  Including you and Tony.”</p><p>Tony had known that from the beginning.  It wasn't even a bitter pill to swallow, just part of the superhero life.  With great power blah blah blah.  He’d be a hypocrite if he allowed that to hurt him.  </p><p>But Peter was a kid, and it would have been nice if he never had to find any of this out.  </p><p>“I wouldn’t want to,” Stephen said, pleading for Peter to understand.  “Please, don’t think I’d ever—”</p><p>“I understand,” Peter said softly.  His jaw was square, and his shoulders were thrown back like he was waiting for orders.  “You guys think I’m this kid, but I know responsibility.  And maybe I’ve never saved the world like you have, but I’ve helped people.  I know what it is to have to make hard choices.”</p><p>“We know you do, kid,” Tony said.  </p><p>Stephen shook his head.  “I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”</p><p>“I’m faster than I look,” Peter said, trying to smile.  “Plus, someone has to be the brains of this operation.”</p><p>“Peter—”</p><p>“Stephen,” Tony cut in, because this argument wasn’t going to end.  As much as he wanted to send Peter home, as much as he <i>hated</i> the idea of Peter being in this fight, he’d made his decision.  And maybe Tony had even made it for him two years ago when he got him involved in an airport fight he had no business being in.  But every step Peter had made since then had been for this life.  If he wanted to step up, how could Tony stop him?  </p><p>“Okay, kid, you’re in.”  He used his arm in lieu of a sword, knighting Peter and finally making it official.  “You’re an Avenger.”</p><p>Stephen’s mouth hung open in surprise while Peter smiled then stood straight up and nodded.</p><p>“Okay, first Avenger mission, go find us some food.  They have to have something around here,” Tony said.</p><p>“Oh, good idea, Mr. Stark.  I’m starving,” Peter said.  “They probably have a ton of it for the ugly guy.”</p><p>“Which one was the ugly guy?” Tony asked, watching Peter find hidden drawers in the walls, hopefully full of supplies.  Stephen looked lost.  “Hey, you okay?”</p><p>With a shake of his head, Stephen said, “If anything happens to that boy I’ll never forgive myself.  It’s hard enough accepting that you’ll be by my side.  If he were to kill both of you…”</p><p>Something deep inside of Tony twisted just a little, then something deeper twisted again.  That phantom touch, the lingering piece of something from Stephen that Tony just never thought to question.  </p><p>Now wasn’t the time.</p><p>“There’s no way I’m leaving your side, Doc.”</p><p>“I know,” Stephen said.  “I wouldn’t insult you by trying to convince you otherwise.”</p><p>“You know me so well.”  Tony kept one eye on Peter, who had found another room, and one on Stephen.  “This is my fight, too.  This is my nightmare, Stephen.  The one I’ve known was coming all this time.  It’s here.  Or, I guess we’re meeting it on Mars.”</p><p>“Titan.  Yes, I know,” Stephen said.  “But I don’t have to like it.”</p><p>“I found something that might be food!” Peter shouted, before running into another room.</p><p>“Hey, Peter, be careful!  You never know what weird kind of, I don't know, booby traps they might have left for someone who isn’t eighteen feet tall or a seafood medley plate.”</p><p>“Heh, booby traps," Peter said.  “Hey, have you ever seen that really old movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark?”</p><p>Tony groaned and Stephen whispered, “By the Vishanti, he makes me feel old.”</p><p>“Really?” Tony asked, watching Peter bounce from one side of the room to another.  “He makes me feel young.”</p><p>Stephen hummed and watched along, and Tony was glad that someone else cared about Peter as much as he did.  That someone else was around to share the burden of loving a young superhero.</p><p>“Okay, I found these things that look like maybe protein bars?” Peter said, holding a wrapped bar the size of a Thanksgiving turkey out for the two of them to see.  “Maybe it’s edible?”</p><p>“Oh, I really don’t want to have to eat that,” Tony said, but now that the adrenaline rush was ending his body was screaming at it for first food then rest.  “Hey, Dumbledore, can’t you rustle us up some grub?  I’ll take a cheeseburger, no onion.”</p><p>“Uh, sorry, Mr. Stark, you can’t create food,” Peter said in such a matter-of-fact way Tony almost laughed.  “Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration, you can’t create something out of nothing.  Everyone knows that.”</p><p>Stephen frowned and said, “Uh, I haven’t even heard that.  Where did you read about that?”</p><p>“Harry Potter Lexicon.”</p><p>Stephen rolled his eyes in the same overly exaggerated way Tony always did when it came to Peter.  It never failed to make the kid smile.  </p><p>“Peter, please, for the last time, Harry Potter is not real.  There is no Gamp’s Law.”</p><p>“Awesome.  Then I’ll take my cheeseburger please,” Tony said.</p><p>Stephen shuffled his feet for a moment, then muttered, “You can’t create something out of nothing.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Tony said, leaning in, “what was that, Dumbledore?”</p><p>Louder, Stephen said, “You can’t create something out of nothing.”</p><p>“Everyone knows that, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, taking Stephen’s side, that traitor.  </p><p>“Okay, well luckily I can tell you the chemical composition of this thing and whether or not we can eat it,” Tony said, manually scanning the big hulking thing while Peter held it.  “Okay, it’s basically a protein bar from space.  We should be able to eat it and not die.”</p><p>“Yay!” Peter shouted, though Tony hadn’t said it would taste good.  He didn’t even want to consider what flavor Cliff Bar Cull Obsidian would eat.  Baby?  Human suffering?  He watched Peter tear the package open and take a bite.  Then he tried not to laugh when his face twisted in disgust. </p><p>“Yeah, edible doesn’t always mean good,” Tony said.  “But if it’s all we have, it’s all we have.  Gimme.”</p><p>They sat in the largest chair ever created and ate silently.  The adrenaline had left Tony completely, leaving him drained and exhausted.  Peter’s eyelids were threatening to close, but Stephen looked like he was fighting it.</p><p>“Hey kid, you find anything that looks like a bed in this horror show?” Tony asked.  </p><p>His second wind hit at just the right moment and Peter leapt up to show them a room opposite where they were sitting.  “Yeah, the big guy has a bedroom with a <i>huge</i> bed.”  He skidded to a stop and turned back.  “I don’t—I don’t think you want to see the other guy’s room.”</p><p>Stephen looked as though he was dead on his feet, but he still didn’t look like he was going to get some rest.  </p><p>“Hey,” Tony said.  “Come.  Sleep.  You’re not at your best without at least some sleep.”</p><p>Stephen shook his head.  “There has to be some way to defeat him on Titan.  I’m not sure how yet, but I’m thinking.”</p><p>“Well, come think lying down on whatever Thanos’ cronies thought of as a bed.”  He reached out again, offering his hand to Stephen when he was more than capable of getting himself up and to the room by himself. </p><p>But Tony’s hand was still cold from the lack of his touch, still wanted to have something of Stephen touching him.  Maybe it didn’t mean anything, or maybe he really did have a chance, but that didn’t matter.  What did matter was the fact that they were on a spaceship set to rendezvous with a warlord who seemed to worship death.</p><p>So all bets were off.  It’s now or never, Stark.</p><p>Stephen looked at his extended hand with such disbelief it almost broke Tony’s heart but set it on fire at the same time.  Life or death situation or not, Tony didn’t care right now.  All he wanted was for Stephen to get some rest, preferably right next to him. </p><p>“Come on, Doc,” Tony whispered.  “You’re dead on your feet.  We’ll kill Thanos in the morning.”</p><p>Slowly, like he expected Tony to take it away, Stephen took Tony’s hand.  </p><p>Holding someone’s hand hadn’t had him this excited since he’d been a kid.  His heart might beat right out of his chest for how just the touch of Stephen’s hand felt in his.  When Stephen got to his feet they still didn’t let go.  Their hands dropped to their sides and they walked toward whatever horror show awaited them in Cull Obsidian’s bedroom. </p><p>“Oh,” Tony said, walking into the room.  He’d been expecting a dungeon, not something out of a very boring IKEA catalog.  “That is one huge bed.”</p><p>“I call middle!” Peter shouted and jumped on the bed.  It took up almost the entire room and was easily the size of three King sized mattresses.  Tony retracted the nanoparticles and took off his shoes. </p><p>Peter bounced for another minute before falling down into the center.</p><p>The bed was large enough for them to never have to see each other, let alone touch and yet the three of them gravitated towards each other as they settled.  The fear of what was about to happen was calmed just a little bit knowing they weren’t alone.  </p><p>The Cloak covered Stephen and he and Tony settled in next to Peter.  </p><p>The lights dimmed automatically, and Tony heard the soft breaths that told him Peter had fallen asleep quickly.  Exhaustion was calling for him, but there was something he wanted more.  He was only laying a few inches away from Stephen, but as his hand traveled the distance it felt like miles.  </p><p>His fingers curled around Stephen’s hand and gave a light squeeze, always mindful of Stephen’s injuries.  He held his breath until Stephen gave him the slightest squeeze back.  </p><p>It was enough.  Tony let his eyes close and tried to let the warmth of Stephen overcome thoughts of the cold of space and inevitability of death.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's right.  Supreme Family and <b><i>hot, steamy hand-holding...</i></b>  </p><p>If you enjoyed this please let me know!  I live by everyone's comments and kudos.  Thank you for reading, and see you next week for an interlude.  Do you know that part in movies where everything is calm for a few minutes and everyone gets to talk?  Cause I really, really love that.  It's a very short chapter, but I'm happy with it.  </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Interlude</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, thank you to everyone who commented or left kudos on Iron Mage chapter!  I'm so glad it was well-received.  </p><p>So this chapter is weird because I thought it up on day and then wrote it in one night, which is weird for me.  But I kinda felt like this fic moved so fast because there's a lot of plot.  Plus, a lot of this plot is known since it happened in the movie so I don't want to dwell too long and bore everyone.  So I kinda felt like maybe the characters hadn't had a chance to breathe.  </p><p>So here's their breathing moment.  </p><p><b>Chapter warning:</b> Descriptions of Howard and Eugene's A+ parenting skills.  Nothing too graphic, but if you want to skip, stop reading where Peter asks about their parents.  </p><p>Thank you to foxglove_fiction and silent_serendipity for beta reading.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen was warm.  He was so very warm.</p><p>It wasn’t the warmth that woke him, but it was the first thing he noticed even before the urgent need to use the toilet.  He spared a thought to how toilets would work in space and prayed he wouldn’t have to read an instruction manual just to pee.  </p><p>In the next moment he realized why he was warm.  Tony had rolled over in his sleep and had thrown an arm around his chest, holding him close.  The scent of him filled some primal need within Stephen, something inside of him feeling calm and safe even in this situation just because Tony was there.  </p><p>The comfort Tony had offered yesterday was welcome, his hand still burning pleasantly from where Tony had touched it.  But this was something Tony was doing in his sleep.  It wouldn’t be right to take advantage.</p><p>With regret, he carefully moved out from under Tony and slipped away to what he thought might be an ensuite bathroom.</p><p>It turned out space toilets functioned better than Kubrick had imagined, but the real fun was using a toilet made for someone the size of Cull Obsidian.  He quietly made his way back to the bed, hoping to get a few more hours sleep before they reached Titan.  </p><p>And Thanos.</p><p>He heard low talking and laughter as he reached the room.  </p><p>He couldn’t help but smile.  There was always laughter when Tony and Peter were around.  It was seldom they couldn’t make Stephen smile, even if he was trying his hardest not to.</p><p>“Going back to sleep, Doc?  Red was waiting for you,” Tony said softly as Stephen slipped back into bed, then rolled over several times to get back to his original position near Tony.  “Peter was trying to get me into a game of twenty questions, but maybe if you’ll split the load we can get it done in half the time.”</p><p>“It’s thirty-six questions, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his voice also uncharacteristically soft.  “And I don’t remember all of them, just a few.  My friend MJ asked me them one day.  Something about ‘thirty-six questions to be a better friend’ or something like that.”</p><p>The lights were still dimmed and Stephen was nestled warmly under the plain blankets that the bed provided and the Cloak.  He felt like he was back in grade school at Peter’s suggestion, talking with friends about things that seem extremely important at the time but in reality are anything but.  </p><p>The threat of Thanos and what he would have to do loomed over him, so he welcomed the reprieve.  </p><p>“Like my favorite color?  Favorite teacher?  That sort of thing?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say red—no, blue!”  Tony said.  </p><p>“Hmm, wrong on both counts.  It’s grey,” Stephen said.  “Dove grey.”</p><p>Tony shifted on the pillow and looked over towards him.  His eyes shined even in the dimmed lights.  “Noted.  Dove grey.”</p><p>Stephen shivered.</p><p>“No, nothing like that,” Peter said.  “These are real questions.  They’re supposed to help you really get to know someone.  So do you want to play?”</p><p>“Sure,” Tony said softly, still near the edges of sleep.  “My life is an open book anyway.”</p><p>“I’ll play, Peter,” Stephen said.</p><p>“Okay, so to be fair, I don't remember all of them.  Just the ones that really stuck with me.  So…um…oh!  If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?”</p><p>“Living or dead?” Tony asked.  “That’s easy.  My mom.  I’d give anything to have one last decent conversation with her.”  He was silent after a moment, as though lost in memory.  “Dinner with mom over her lasagna.  Just one more time.”</p><p>“Doctor Strange?” Peter asked softly, like he didn’t want to disturb Tony’s reminiscing.</p><p>It was on the tip of Stephen’s tongue to say Agamotto himself.  The founder of the Masters of the Mystic Arts was someone Stephen looked up to.  He was responsible for the creation of the Sanctums and laid the foundation and structure that brought order to magic as it existed today.  </p><p>But his name slipped from his lips as he thought about the Ancient One and how much he missed her.  He would give many things to have just a little more time with her.  But thanks to astral projection, he’d already said goodbye.  He was extremely grateful to have had that moment with her, accepting her final lesson to him, while watching the snow.  </p><p>In the end it wasn’t even a competition.</p><p>“My sister,” he said quietly, as though just saying her name would break his heart all over again.  “Donna.  We were swimming in a lake near our house when we were kids.  She drowned while I was supposed to be looking after her.  I’d give anything to be able to apologize properly.”</p><p>The moment lay heavy between them, until a strong, calloused hand reached out and took his.  </p><p><i>Comfort</i>, he told himself.  Comfort and nothing else.  Stephen squeezed Tony’s hand back, thankful for the support. </p><p>“What about you, Peter?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Oh, I said, Emma Watson.  But you know…”</p><p>“A great choice.  Hey, if you want I could make that happen,” Tony said.</p><p>“Stop teasing him,” Stephen said, eager to let the heavy mood dissipate.  </p><p>“Okay, but seriously don’t do that.  I would probably cry, and then Emma Watson would have seen me cry.”</p><p>Stephen felt more than saw Tony’s shrug.  “She's a nice girl.  But fine.”</p><p>“Oh God,” Peter whispered, like he was questioning his life choices.  “So, next question.  Your house catches fire.  All your loved ones and pets are out but you can save only one thing from being destroyed.  What do you save?”</p><p>“I don’t know if this really goes for me.  I mean, Friday is backed up on servers all over the world so even if every house I own was destroyed she’d be fine.”</p><p>“Fine,” Peter said, playfully exacerbated.  “All pets, AIs, and bots are out of the house,” Peter said.  “What do you save?”</p><p>Tony shrugged and said, “There’s an old photo album I’d save, I guess.  Even though the pictures are backed up.  Oh, and my mom’s wedding ring.  I’d save that.”</p><p>“The Cloak,” Stephen said, giving it a pet.</p><p>Tony snorted.  “Okay, let’s face it, Doc.  If the Sanctum is on fire, it’s probably because of you.  So the Cloak is the one dragging your ass out.”</p><p>The Cloak shimmied a little and reached out to wrap around Tony’s wrist.</p><p>“Traitor.  Fine.”  He thought for a minute, but in the end he could only shrug.  “The Sanctum is home to many rare books and relics so…I don't know that I could choose just one,” Stephen said.  “Sorry, Peter.”</p><p>“Well, I’d save my suit,” Peter said.  “I’ve been without it once and no thank you.  Okay, here’s a good one:  if you could be famous, would you?”</p><p>Tony laughed out loud at that one.  “Sorry, kid, it’s just too funny.”</p><p>“Well, how about the opposite?” Stephen asked.  “What if you could be un-famous?”</p><p>“Yeah, what if no one knew who you were?” Peter asked.  “Oh!  What if the identity of Iron Man was a secret and you were just some guy?”</p><p>“Like if Iron Man was my bodyguard?” Tony said, as though he’d never thought about it before.  “I have no idea what that would be like.  My face was on the cover of Life Magazine when I was just a kid.  Everyone I’ve ever met has known everything about me the second they saw me.  Every good thing, but damn…every evil thing I’ve ever done…”</p><p>Tony trailed off, like the thought had never occurred to him.  Stephen sometimes teased Tony about his notoriety, but he’d never thought about what it was like to be on the receiving end of such knowledge.  How everyone had known Tony Stark for so long that they felt they knew him.  </p><p>And how wrong all their assumptions would be.  </p><p>“I don't know, kid,” Tony whispered.  “I have no way of knowing what it’s like.  Sorry.”</p><p>“That’s okay, Mr. Stark.  Doctor Strange?”</p><p>“No, thank you.  The sorcerers of Kamar Taj have existed for millennia in secret.  I’d like to keep it that way.”  Plus, lunches and dinners with Tony over the years had shown him the downfalls to fame.  Definitely not for him.</p><p>“Yeah, someone was definitely filming that fight, Doc,” Tony said.  “Sorry, but anonymity isn’t really a thing for you anymore.”</p><p>Stephen thought it over for a moment then groaned.  “No, please.  I don’t know what I would do if I ever trended on Twitter.”</p><p>“Hashtag sorcerer, hashtag badass wizard, hashtag magic avenger,” Peter said, way too excited at this idea.  </p><p>“We’ll handle it, Stephen,” Tony said.  “Don’t worry.  How about you, kid?”</p><p>“Um, well maybe?  But not if it would mean everyone who I met would know me before I know them.  I guess that would be weird.  I told MJ yes, but maybe now I’d change my answer.”</p><p>“A wise choice,” Stephen said.  </p><p>“Okay, next question,” Peter said, “if you could change something about the way you were raised what would it be?”</p><p>A loaded question for Stephen, and thanks to the aforementioned fame, for Tony too.</p><p>“Yeah, I’d change it,” Tony said, his voice lower now, the lowered lights and the intimacy of the question hitting him hard.  “I don't know how.  Change fathers?”</p><p>“Yes, please,” Stephen said.  He didn't know how much Tony wanted Peter to know about his childhood.  Stephen wasn’t too sure for himself either.  “How about you, Peter?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Peter said softly.  “I’d like my father figures to stop dying.”</p><p>That one hit Stephen in the heart, his eyes closing even in the darkness.  The soft confession, spoken in such an intimate setting twisted something inside him.  He felt Tony flinch next to him.  What it must have cost Peter to say that…</p><p>“What’s the worst memory you have of a parent?” Peter asked.  His voice shook a little at the end, like he was holding back tears.  “And what’s the best?”</p><p>If Peter had the strength to actually answer these questions, Stephen could too.  And he’d been right about the nature of the game.  This wasn’t about his favorite color or movie.  He hadn’t felt this raw since maybe the last time he’d sat around a fire with friends when he was a kid.  His heart felt like it was flayed right open, but at the same time he’d never felt safer.</p><p>Even while on a spaceship, hurtling through space to meet a madman.</p><p>A memory he’d buried deep in the back of his mind resurfaced, a wretched thing that Stephen wished he could forget but knew he never would.  But Peter had told them his greatest fear, and he could at least be brave enough to answer the question honestly.</p><p>“We grew up poor,” Stephen started.  “My father would go to the market in town and get these special cookies.  They were only for him, he never let me or my brother or sister have any.  They were completely off-limits.  </p><p>“One day I decided that I really wanted one.  There were maybe ten left in the package so I thought he wouldn’t notice.  He came home, went straight to the pantry, opened the container and knew one was gone.</p><p>“I froze.  He asked the three of us which one took it, but we all denied it.  Then he looked at my brother.  I have no idea what made him think that Victor had eaten the cookie, but he took off his belt and started hitting him.  Victor cried and swore he hadn’t, but my father just kept hitting him.  Said the lying was worse than the stealing.”</p><p>Tony’s hand snuck into his again, and Stephen realized his voice was shaking.</p><p>“I wanted to open my mouth and say it was me.  That was my beating, not his.  But I couldn’t say a damn word.  I was just frozen to the spot.  I just had to watch while my brother cried and swore that he hadn’t done it, until my father felt he’d beaten him enough.”</p><p>The sides of his face were wet and warm, then the Cloak came over to dry his tears.  He hadn’t thought of that memory in years.  He had buried it with all the shame that accompanied memories of his family, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t still feel guilty.</p><p>“You know that wasn’t your fault, right Doc?” Tony asked.  “It’s not your fault your asshole father beat your brother over a <i>cookie</i>.”</p><p>“Yes,” Stephen said, then smiled sadly even though Tony couldn’t see him.  “But we never do get over these things, do we?”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Doctor Strange,” Peter said.  “We can stop—”</p><p>“No,” Stephen said, strongly forceful.  He actually liked this game.  He did feel as though he was getting closer to both Tony and Peter.  “No, let’s keep going.  For me, at least.  Let’s see.  Best memory of my parent?”</p><p>He paused for a moment to think, but settled on one hazy memory quickly.</p><p>“I was sick with a fever for a week.  A high one, the kind where you hallucinate a little.  I was in and out all day, when suddenly I felt hands on my face.  I had no idea where I was or what was happening, but over all the fever and delirium, I knew my mother’s hands.”</p><p>Tony softly squeezed his hand again, and Stephen gripped back.</p><p>“My turn?  Worse memory of a parent?”  Tony asked, and Stephen’s heart felt so open he almost feared whatever Tony was about to say.  “So…my dad never really had time for me.  Always missing everything important.  I knew exactly how important I was to him, which…I wasn’t.  He’d apologize and buy me something cool to help with my robots, but he never just gave me what I really wanted.</p><p>“Which was him.  My dad.  I wanted him to be my dad, and he never was.  So on the day I graduated prep school—four years early—and I’m walking the stage and I look out into the audience and of course he’s not there.  And even then at fourteen I knew I was a damn fool to even hope he’d show up.”</p><p>His body shuddered before he took his next breath.  He wasn’t looking at either of them, his eyes seeming to focus on the ceiling, but Stephen knew he was back there in that auditorium.  </p><p>“And then I realized, I don’t even want him there.  What did I need him for anymore?  </p><p>“So my mom and I are back at the house, and he finally shows up.  So sorry, meeting ran late, high school grad isn’t really a big deal anyway, blah blah, he’ll be there for MIT though blah.  And I stand up to him, get right in his face.</p><p>“And I say, ‘Don’t bother.  I don’t need you anymore.  All my life, all I wanted was just to spend time with you.  I wanted your approval.  I wanted to be more than just an heir to your empire!’”</p><p>Tony’s voice shook as he spoke in a way Stephen had never heard before, even when facing the most sinister of villains.</p><p>“‘But you know what?  It’s okay.  Don’t bother showing up anymore.  Cause I don't need you.  I have mom, and she’s more than enough.  And someday, I’ll have my own family, and I’ll be <i>nothing</i> like you.’”</p><p>Tony’s breathing was ragged, like he’d relived the moment as he shouted into the darkness to a ghost who had never truly stopped haunting him.  The Cloak wiped Tony’s face as well, its sweet nature leading it sooth its humans.  </p><p>“What was your best memory of a parent?” Peter asked softly, almost afraid to break the ragged silence.</p><p>Tony wiped his face and croaked, “Same one.”</p><p>They were silent except for the sound of Tony catching his breath.  </p><p>Stephen truly was reminded of being a child, of being open and raw with friends in a way that he never had been as a grown man.  Some primal human need felt as though it was being met just by talking.</p><p>“How about you, Peter?” he finally asked. </p><p>“Oh well…” Peter said, and Stephen wondered if he was about to hear about some faint memory of the father he’d never really known or the uncle he’d lost.</p><p>“So there was this winter where May had to work the nightshift at the hospital,” Peter said, his voice almost a whisper.  “And we both hated it because it meant we hardly got to see each other.  She’d get home at three in the morning, and then I’d wake up and go to school and she’d be asleep.  Then by the time I’d got back she’d be at work again.  I only saw her on her one day off.</p><p>“But this one night…  She came into my room and sat on the edge of my bed.  And the movement had woken me, you know?  And I knew it was her cause I could smell that hospital smell over the smell of her soap.  And I just…kept pretending to be asleep.  She sat there for a minute or two, and I knew that she missed me as much as I missed her.  And she probably came into my room just to see if maybe I was awake.</p><p>“But I just kept pretending to be asleep.  And after another minute she patted my hair and left.  I have no idea why I did that.  I wanted to talk to her.  I missed her.  What was wrong with me?”<br/>
It wasn’t a question that Stephen or Tony could answer.  And likely Peter knew there was nothing wrong with him, but couldn’t understand his own actions contradicting himself.</p><p>“They switched her back to the day shift after another month,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.  “But I still hated that I did that.”</p><p>“It’s okay, Peter,” Tony said softly, reaching out and holding Peter’s forearm.  “She knows you love her.”</p><p>“What’s your best memory of a parent, Peter?” Stephen asked, eager to give him a reprieve.</p><p>“Oh,” he said, as though some spell had been broken.  “Coney Island.  We go every year.  We stuff ourselves on fried food and ride every ride.  It’s great.  Best memories, hands down.  But…you making me an Avenger, Mr. Stark, is a close second.”</p><p>Tony was silent at the admission, but Stephen could sense the shift in his body next to him.</p><p>“Okay,” Tony said.  “I think I got one more question in me, then I think it might be best to rest before we get to Titan.”</p><p>“Oh, well I only remember one more anyway,” Peter said.  “Do you have a sneaking suspicion about how you’re going to die?”</p><p>Stephen felt Tony stiffen next to him and suspected that he did the same.  Death was always just around the corner when you were in the superhero business, but now it felt as though it was a very real possibility that they might not make it out of this.  </p><p>“With my boots on,” Tony said, his tone taking on a forced lightness.  “Kid, I’ve almost died so many times.  Today, even.  I’d love to die happy and old, but something tells me it’s not in the cards.”</p><p>“No,” Stephen said automatically, though there was no way he could patronize Tony by denying what he’d said.  It really was likely he’d die before he got to retire.  There were no guarantees for anyone, but especially people like them, even on good days.</p><p>And today was not a good day.  Today they were traveling to another planet to fight a genocidal warlord hell-bent on killing half the universe.  It wasn’t just possible they would die, it was likely.</p><p>But he still wanted to rage against it.  He’d died so many times before.  Death was like an old friend, but it wasn’t Tony’s time.  Or Peter’s.  He could only do so much to stop it, and his responsibility was to the Time Stone.  But that wouldn’t mean he wouldn’t try his damnedest.  </p><p>“You aren’t going to die,” Stephen said, like he could will it into existence by saying it.  “Not if I have anything to say about it.”</p><p>Stephen could tell Tony had a witty remark on the tip of his tongue, but he took a deep breath instead and let it go.  “Who could possibly fight the will of Doctor Strange?”</p><p>“I don’t want to die fighting either,” Peter said.  “I’m not afraid of fighting.  I want to fight, but…I don’t want to die.”</p><p>“Then let me send you back to New York when we get to Titan,” Stephen said, pleading.</p><p>“No,” Peter said, louder than before, like the spell they had weaved by their talking was broken.  “Because if the both of you die and I’m not there to protect you, I’ll <i>never</i> forgive myself.”</p><p>“Peter—”</p><p>“I can't lose another father figure!” he shouted.  “I <i>can’t</i>!”</p><p>The words were heavy in the air, the implication even more so.  Stephen definitely knew that Peter and Tony had a close relationship, but Stephen didn’t know Peter felt so strongly about him.</p><p>The shadow that lurked in the back of his mind burned that much brighter.</p><p>“Kid…” Tony said, like he didn’t know what to say, like the word was enough.  “I want to tell you that we’ll all walk away from this, but I don’t know that that’s true.  But I will tell you this: I’m not going down without a fight.  And I sure as hell won't let Thanos touch you or Stephen.  Not while I’m still breathing.”</p><p>Stephen sighed, knowing there was no point to arguing about it now.  He’d wait until he got to Titan, then he’d hope Peter would listen to reason.  </p><p>“Good game, Peter,” Tony said.  “I definitely feel like I’ve been ripped to shreds by the angst demon.”</p><p>“The angst demon doesn’t rip you to shreds, Tony, it sucks out your soul.  Everyone knows that,” Stephen said.</p><p>“Yeah, Mr. Stark, everyone knows that,” Peter said.  </p><p>The game was over, and they all turned and adjusted their blankets to get more comfortable.  Trying to conserve their strength before what was to come.</p><p>“We should try to get some sleep,” Stephen said.  </p><p>“I don't know if I can sleep after all of that,” Peter said.</p><p>The game was over, but the air was still heavy around them.  Stephen thought back to those days in his youth, when the talks would go on for so long and you felt like you had bared your soul.  There was really only one way to break the spell.</p><p>“What’s your favorite color?” Stephen asked.  </p><p>“Red,” Peter said.  </p><p>“Gold,” Tony said, picking up on what he was trying for.  “If you could be any animal to be what would you be?  I’d be a platypus.” </p><p>Peter and Stephen responded and gladly played the game, asking questions of absolutely no consequence until they all fell back to sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed that cause it was really weird writing it.  This chapter inspired by Stand By Me, Saving Private Ryan, City Slickers, the Breakfasts Club and pretty much every movie that has a five minute breathing period where the character just get to talk.  Let me know if you enjoyed it!</p><p>I'm taking next week off.  Technically I have the next two chapters written, but the next four chapters are so intertwined I want to be sure to really do them justice.  If you couldn't tell, the actual plot if coming.  </p><p>And we're very close to the schism.  </p><p>See you in two weeks!</p><p> </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Original Timeline:  Titan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm back!  I took a little break but also got some writing done.  Thank you so much to everyone who's commented or left kudos.  Your comments are motivation and mean so much to me.  I love writing these two!</p><p>Thank you to silent_serendipity and foxglove_fiction for beta reading.  You're the best!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The console didn’t have a word of English on it, but Stephen had a strong suspicion of what flashing lights and loud warning sirens meant.</p><p>“Yeah, okay, looks like we’re here,” Tony said, looking around for how to land this thing.  “Kid, you see that handle there?  This was meant for the big guy to navigate.  Grab that other one and we’ll do this together.”</p><p>Tony and Peter fully suited up and began trying to land the ship gracefully, but Tony was an engineer, not a pilot.  This wasn’t a suit or the Quinjet.  It was an alien spacecraft that none of them had the first idea how to work, let alone cut through an atmosphere and land without being blown to pieces.</p><p>The ship shuddered as they began their descent, shaking Stephen so hard he nearly fell over. He had no idea if the web Peter had used to patch the ship would be strong enough to survive reentry, so Stephen threw up the strongest shield he could, letting it wrap around the three of them.  The ship began to break apart around them, life support systems failing, and the sound of metal bending then breaking but he held on and the shield stayed up.  </p><p>They weren’t going to die like this.  </p><p>A hint of green flashed brightly over the gold of his shield.  In the corner of his mind’s eye, the Eye of Agamotto opened before him.</p><p>He blinked and the screaming of torn metal faded away.  The howling of the ship entering the atmosphere stopped, but the sudden silence was far louder.  He couldn’t hear Tony or Peter or see the gold of his shield.  </p><p>For a moment, everything was dark.</p><p>In his next breath he was back at the Sanctum, back in front of the door that still didn’t exist.  He couldn’t move his head at all, but this time the vision felt different.  He looked up as far as he could moving only his eyes and realized the Sanctum was so bright because the hole in the ceiling was still there.      </p><p>Again, Wong came out of the library, unbothered.  “Stephen,” he said in greeting, “is it finished?” </p><p>Stephen blinked again and the screaming of the ship tearing through the sky returned.  He’d maintained the shields even through his vision, but they were about to crash into a mountain, and the ship—already having taken damage—would be ripped to pieces.  He summoned every ounce of power he could, putting all his strength into keeping the shield up as the ship crash-landed.  </p><p>His arms ached and sweat poured from his brow, but he held on as metal around them groaned and pieces of the ship fell off and onto the shield, continuing until he was sure the remains of the ship wouldn’t just fall down on top of their heads.  </p><p>“Stephen,” Tony said, shaking him lightly.  “Doc, we made it.  We’re okay.”  Tony ran his hands over Stephen’s shoulders, let his eyes linger over his body, checking for who knew what but it didn’t matter.  It warmed Stephen’s heart to the core.  “That was some light show you put on.”</p><p>The Time Stone felt heavy around his neck, but Stephen dismissed it.  “My strongest shield,” Stephen said breathlessly, looking around at the wreckage.  “Clearly, it was needed.”  Whatever the atmosphere of this planet was like, it was breathable.  Part of the ship was torn completely off.  “Have you analyzed the air?  Is it safe?”  He took in a breath and air smelled like decay, like rot.  “There’s something very off about this planet.”</p><p>“Yeah, we’re not breathing the best of the best, but it’s not poison,” Tony said, looking at a screen on his palm.  “The rest, we can find out later.”</p><p>Peter lowered himself from a piece of wreckage to hang in front of the two of them.  “I just want to say, if aliens wind up implanting eggs in my chest or something and I eat one of you, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Okay, we already did Alien and Aliens bits, we aren’t going for a third,” Tony said.</p><p>“We don’t acknowledge the third Aliens in this house, Peter,” Stephen said.</p><p>“I’m trying to say, something’s coming,” Peter said, just as a metal ball rolled between them.  </p><p>Stephen cast a shield just in time to protect himself and Tony from the blast, then expanded it as a large green humanoid ran in with knives in each hand.</p><p>“Thanos!” he screamed and ran for Stephen with his twin blades.  A flick of Stephen’s wrist disarmed him and the Cloak wrestled him to the ground.  Tony took to the sky and exchanged fire with a masked man, dodging and blocking each other’s blows.  </p><p>“Die blanket of death!”</p><p>There were only three of them.  Stephen was about to help Peter, but the young girl who was ‘attacking him’ seemed to be more interested in examining his suit than in hurting him.  </p><p>Something about this was odd.  Stephen had only ever met two of Thanos’ henchmen, but these people didn’t seem to be cruel enough let alone powerful enough to be serve the universe’s cruelest warlord.  </p><p>“Alright, everybody calm down!” Stephen shouted.  “I think there’s a big misunderstanding here.  One question:  what master do—”</p><p>His words trailed off as another figure entered the ship, one Stephen had been keeping tabs on, one who had worked with Thanos before.  Someone he had no desire to deal with again.</p><p>Loki.</p><p>Loki had led Thanos’ attack on Earth, so it stood to reason why he was here now.  So much for his theory and getting out of this the easy way.  </p><p>“You,” Loki hissed, calling up blades of ice and bending his knees to a fighting stance.</p><p>Stephen beckoned the Cloak back to him with a jut of his chin.  It left the green man and flew back, just in time for it to block one of Loki’s knives flying towards Stephen’s skull.  </p><p>“Bruce Banner said you were dead,” Stephen cried out, summoning raging flames and sending them Loki’s way.  All the others of his party ran out of the way before Loki countered with an icy blast that put out the fire.</p><p>“No one is that lucky,” Loki hissed, his eyes like daggers as he called up a great ball of green mist and sent it hurtling towards Stephen.  </p><p>Stephen cast a shield, but the Cloak flew him up into the air dodging the attack completely.  Red and gold streaked by him as Tony was again engaged in a firefight and Peter was trying to hold off the other two with his webs.  </p><p>Loki was clearly the most dangerous of them.  Thanos’ own personal magic user, ready to do his bidding.  Ebony Maw clearly had been a master at telekinesis, but Loki had Asgardian magic and hundreds of years of practice.  </p><p>The Cloak kept him airborne as he released another attack, creating clones to distract while he tried his best to trap Loki.  The best course of action would be to end this quickly so he could help Tony and Peter in their fights and keep them safe.</p><p>Tony let loose a repulsor blast that knocked the other guy <i>through</i> the ship.  </p><p>Well, maybe Tony had his fight in hand, but Stephen needed to protect Peter.  Nothing could happen to him under Stephen’s watch, and if Loki hurt Peter…  </p><p>“You think me some cheap conjurer,” Loki screamed.  “Some charlatan with tricks up his sleeves.  I’ve known magic since your ancestors were frightened of the moon!”  He conjured a hundred ice daggers, all of them aimed at the real Stephen and painfully similar to Ebony Maw’s torture devices. </p><p>Stephen shuddered and opened a portal and let the lot of them fall into a hell dimension, then he sent it for Loki.  </p><p>Loki jumped out of the way, showing every one of his teeth as he seethed.  “Do you think I’d fall for that again?  Stop trying to handle me and fight!”  </p><p>He didn’t want to kill Loki, but he and Tony needed to sort out a plan before Thanos arrived, and Loki couldn’t be here to help his master.  And if killing Loki wasn’t acceptable, trapping him was the best plan.  He called up the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and a dozen red whips crawled along the ground until they found Loki, holding him in their grasp.  </p><p>Just as he was opening a portal, the temperature of the room dropped and Loki shattered his bands as they turned to ice.  </p><p>“Ah!” he screamed as the cold traveled up to his hands.  </p><p>“Stephen?” Tony shouted over the confusion, and rushed to his side.  “Loki?  What did you do to him, you son of a bitch?”</p><p>“Less than what he deserves!” Loki shouted.</p><p>Tony raised a repulsor as the masked man landed next to them and pointed some sort of gun right in his face.  Peter was still dodging the other two, but Loki seemed to have been thrown off by Tony rushing in.  The chaos of a fire fight left them, almost as though Loki was giving Stephen a moment to sort himself before the fight would continue.  The uncertainty was obvious as Loki held back his next attack, so Stephen decided to try reason.</p><p>“Look, I don’t know why you’re doing this,” Stephen said, rubbing his hands together to get the circulation back to normal.  “I don't know what he promised you, but Thanos is just using you.  Whatever you think you will gain by serving him, it won’t happen.”</p><p>Loki’s face twisted into disgust.  “You know nothing,” he said and half-heartedly sent another ice blade.  The masked man turned from Tony to Loki and lowered his mask.</p><p>“I know you’ve taken a page out of Ebony Maw’s torture playbook,” Stephen said as he knocked the ice blade away.  “Did the two of you take the same class on how to cause as much pain as possible for people with nerve damage?”</p><p>Loki’s hands shook and the rage that had twisted his expression faded, disbelief and fear taking over.  Fear at what, Stephen had no idea.</p><p>“How do you know Ebony Maw?” Loki asked.</p><p>“Your buddy Squidward?” Tony said.  “He tried to hurt Stephen so we killed him.  He’s dead.”</p><p>Loki’s eyes widened for a moment before they closed and he seemed to take a deep breath, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  Like he was relieved.  </p><p>“I suppose if anyone was going to endure Ebony Maw’s <i>attentions</i> and come out unscathed it would be the Avengers,” Loki said, almost to himself.  “Quill!  Put your weapon down.  These people aren’t with Thanos.”</p><p>“Wait,” Stephen said, “they thought we served Thanos?”</p><p>“Well, yeah, you got here in his ship,” Quill said, lowering his weapon.  “You thought we served Thanos?”</p><p>“Well yeah, you attacked us!” Tony shouted.</p><p>“We don’t serve Thanos,” Quill said.  Stephen and Tony looked at one another, then back at the guy who <i>took a blast from Tony’s suit and seemed to just shake it off</i>.  “We hate Thanos.  He took my girl.  And he wants to kill half the universe.”</p><p>Tony put down his hands.  “Then why are we fighting if we’re on the same side?”</p><p>“Beats me,” Quill said with a shrug.  </p><p>“Wait,” Stephen said, his hands still smarting.  “You know who we are.  Why did you attack me in the first place?” he asked Loki.</p><p>“Because I <i>hate</i> you,” Loki hissed.</p><p>Everyone seemed to take a collective eye roll.</p><p>“Okay, so full disclosure,” Quill said.  “This guy isn’t exactly ‘with’ us.  He’s Thor’s brother, and he’s magic so we thought he’d be good in a fight.”</p><p>“Thor?” Tony said, holding onto the one word in that sentence that had meaning. “You’ve seen Thor?  Thor is alive?”</p><p>Stephen hadn’t taken his eyes off Loki, so he didn’t miss the brief flash of hurt at Quill’s words before he let his expression turn cold once more.  </p><p>“Yeah, he was the last time I saw him.  So, I’m Quill,” he said.  “That’s Drax and Mantis.  We’re the Guardians of the Galaxy.  Or half of them.  I guess you know Loki.”</p><p>“Yeah, we’ve met,” Tony said.  Seeing Stephen cradle his hands, he took them in his own.  “You okay, Doc?  What happened?”</p><p>“Just the cold,” Stephen said.  “I’m fine.”  But he didn’t protest as Tony took his hands in his and blew to warm them.  “Really, I just wasn’t prepared for it.  They’re fine now.”</p><p>“Okay,” Tony said, holding Stephen’s hands and his gaze for longer than was necessary.  Just like on the ship, Stephen tried to bury the hope that threatened to burn him every time Tony looked at him like that.  His hands were warmer than they’d ever been just from the touch of Tony’s hands.</p><p>But there wasn’t time for that now.  </p><p>Now they had to make plans.  They needed to see whether or not Loki was actually a threat or if he’d possibly be useful to them.  He and Tony could see what the skill sets of the others were and actually create a plan that could possibly stop a Titan.</p><p>But first things first.</p><p>“Peter,” he said, prepared for Peter to put up a good fight but he had to try to reason with him.  “Please let me send you home.”</p><p>“Stephen—” Tony started but cut himself off as Peter lifted his hands in defense, like he was prepared to web Stephen’s hands down to stop him from creating a portal.  </p><p>“Wait,” Stephen said, holding up a hand.  “I’m not going to send you anywhere against your will.  I would never do that.”</p><p>“Ha!  What luxury this boy is afforded,” Loki said, just to be as big a pain as he could be.</p><p>“Yeah…” Quill said, throwing up his hands and ushering his people out of the ship.  Quill and his party looked away from what was clearly a family affair and none of their business. “Nothing to see here folks.  Clearly a family dispute.  Come on, Loki.”  </p><p>Loki started laughing.  “Oh, no.  I want to see this.”</p><p>Stephen could open up another portal and drop Loki on the other side of the wreckage of the ship, but that would accomplish absolutely nothing.  And might further alienate Peter.</p><p>“Peter—”</p><p>“No,” Peter said, his voice more firm and confident than Stephen had ever heard.  “I told you.  I can’t lose any more father figures.  I <i>can’t</i>.  Did what I say mean nothing to you?”</p><p>Just outside the ship, where the Guardians were very badly pretending not to eavesdrop, Mantis clearly said ‘aww.’</p><p>“Of course it did,” Stephen said.  “And that’s not what I want, I swear.  But you’re my responsibility, mine and Tony’s.  And if anything were to happen to you, I know I’d never forgive myself.”</p><p>“I know,” Peter said, like he was desperately trying to reach Stephen, but they were speaking two different languages.  “And I feel the same about you.  If I left, and you and Mr. Stark died, I’d never forgive myself.  So why is it okay for you to risk your life and not me?  Why are you trying to send me home when I’d never ask you to do that?”</p><p>“He’s got you there, Stephen,” Tony said, not helping at all.</p><p>“I thought you’d be on my side in this.”</p><p>“I am,” Tony said.  “But look, he’s made his choice.  Do I want him to go home?  Yes.  Will I send him home by force?  No.  Yeah, he’s a kid, but he’s old enough to make decisions by himself.  And this is something that I’ve trusted him with since I first gave him a real suit.”</p><p>“If Thanos wins the day and collects the Infinity Stones this boy will be just as dead here or on Earth,” Loki said.  “Let him stay and fight.  He’ll be of more help here than there at least.”</p><p>Stephen sighed and held in a groan as he found himself on the losing side of this argument. </p><p>“You understand that my priority is the Time Stone?” he asked Peter.  “Even if I wanted to save you, I can’t if it means giving up the stone.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Peter said.  “I know I’m young, but I know what sacrifice is.”</p><p>Maybe he did, Stephen thought.  He knew what Peter had lost, and the trials he’d been through.  He’d stepped up and went to defend Tony at the airport in Germany when Stephen had hidden behind his responsibilities to the Order.  Peter was the one who had helped when Stephen couldn’t.  </p><p>And this really wasn’t a choice for Stephen to make.  It was Peter’s.  And it wasn’t for Stephen to take that away from him.  </p><p>“Alright,” he said, with a nod of his head.  “All I want is for you to be safe.  I’m sorry if I acted poorly."</p><p>“You didn’t.  Gotta admit, I was afraid you’d throw a portal at me,” Peter said. </p><p>“I’d never do that.  Cross my heart,” Stephen said, as the Cloak used its lapels to cross his heart for him.  </p><p>Tony wrapped an arm across Stephen's shoulders, turning them away from Peter and Loki for a moment.</p><p>“I hate it, too,” Tony said, “but the training wheels have to come off some time.”</p><p>“Yes, but now?  He’s still a kid.  He shouldn’t have to be fighting our battles,” Stephen said. </p><p>“Who says they’re ours?” Tony asked.  “We didn’t ask for this.  And yeah, maybe we stepped up to the hero game, but only because there aren’t many who do.  Either way, the ones who can fight step up.  We fight the fights that need fighting.”</p><p>Stephen grunted again as Tony kneaded his palms gently, letting the feeling back into his fingers.  “You’re right, of course you’re right.  I just hate that it’s necessary.”</p><p>Without giving a look to the others still in the wreckage of the ship, Stephen walked up to Peter and wrapped his arms around him.  Peter responded immediately, sinking into Stephen’s embrace. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Stephen whispered into Peter’s hair.  “Please forgive a stupid old man?”</p><p>“You’re not stupid,” Peter said.</p><p>Stephen laughed and kissed the top of Peter’s head.  “I get stupid when I think of losing you.”</p><p>“You won’t,” Peter said, and oh how Stephen wished that was something he could promise.  “I’m faster than you.  I’ll be faster than Thanos.”</p><p>“Okay,” Stephen said, releasing him but knowing there were no guarantees either of them would get out of this alive.</p><p>“That was so sweet, I may vomit,” Loki said, his arms crossed but looking far more interested than he’d like to be.  “Thanos is on his way.  We need a plan.”</p><p>“Then we need to get on the same page,” Tony said.  He gestured for them all to leave the remnants of the destroyed ship and join the Guardians outside.  “It’s story time, Rock of Ages.  Where’s Thor and why are you here?”</p><p>“Yes, Bruce Banner believed you both to be dead,” Stephen said.</p><p>“We found the two of them floating in space in the wreckage of a refugee ship,” Quill said.  “I’ve never seen anyone survive space with no suit.”</p><p>“I am a god,” Loki said, but the way his arms were crossed defensively in front of his chest destroyed the authority of that statement.</p><p>“And I’m half-Celestial, but you don’t see me bragging,” Quill said.  </p><p>“Okay, you’re a god, that’s great.  Biggest question: where’s Thor?” Tony asked.  “And why isn’t he with you?”</p><p>“Thor has gone to Nidavellir to ask Eitri to create a weapon capable of killing Thanos,” Loki said.</p><p>Tony closed his eyes and nodded.  “Good?  That’s good?  You just said a bunch of words that mean nothing to me but this place—Nidavellir?  This is a place that could do that?”</p><p>Loki nodded.  “It’s possible.  If anyone could create a weapon capable of killing Thanos with one blow, it’s Eitri. </p><p>“Why were the two of you on a refugee ship in the first place?” Stephen asked.  </p><p>A terrible pain flashed in Loki’s eyes before he could look away or hide it.  He looked down and then around the wreckage of Titan, trying to avoid anyone’s direct gaze.  </p><p>“Because we were refugees, you fool.  Asgard has been destroyed.”</p><p>“Thanos destroyed your home?” Peter asked.</p><p>“Bruce said Thanos had destroyed an Asgardian refugee ship, but didn’t connect the dots.  He has the power to destroy a planet?” Tony asked, with fear in his voice. </p><p>“Oh, most definitely.  Destroying a planet would be nothing to him now,” Loki said, finally looking back at them, like he had finally got himself under control.  “But Thanos didn’t destroy Asgard.  Our half-sister Hela did.  I took the Space Stone from the wreckage of Asgard and onto the refugee ship.  Thanos…was able to track it and us along with it.”</p><p>“Wow, you really love that blue cube,” Tony said.</p><p>“Tony…” Stephen said, because this wasn’t the Loki he’d seen in video footage from the Battle of New York.  This wasn’t even the Loki he’d put into an endless void to keep from having to deal with him.  This Loki was battle-fatigued and war-torn, which wasn’t surprising if he’d lost his home world.  Loss changed people, and Loki had lost so much.  </p><p>“I’m just saying, it’s weird,” Tony said, shrugging.  “It’s like, you know, you haven’t seen someone in years and you ask how they’re doing, and it turns out they’re doing the exact same thing they were doing the last time you saw them.  That’s all.”  </p><p>“Mr. Stark, I know he’s responsible for killing a lot of people and kind of…destroying New York.  I mean, I was there.  But maybe…stop?” Peter said.  And how difficult would it have been for  him to stand up to his mentor and father figure?  </p><p>But he was right.  Loki was presenting himself in all the right ways.  Shoulders back, chin high, straight faced, every inch a prince, no different than he’d ever been.  But he couldn’t hide his pain, not from Stephen.  Pain was an old friend, easy to spot in others.  And Tony would recognize it too if he allowed himself to really look past Loki’s sins for what was there now.</p><p>A quick glance at Stephen and a quick nod in return had Tony second guessing himself and finally really <i>looked</i> at Loki.  Once he’d dropped his own pain and anger at Loki’s past actions, it was easy for Tony to see what Stephen saw, what they all saw because it was just so apparent.  </p><p>“Yeah, okay,” Tony said, looking at Loki like he was a completely different person than he had been just a moment ago.  “So you save the Tesseract from being destroyed, hide it on the ship, Thanos comes and blows everyone up?  That about the gist?”</p><p>“Yes,” Loki said softly.  “That’s about the idea.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you use it?” Tony asked.</p><p>Loki scoffed.  “I know you’re only human, but please try not to be so extremely stupid.  I don’t carry around devices that allow me to use Infinity Stones in my pocket.”  He tilted his head to the side as if in thought and said, “Though perhaps I should have.”</p><p>“No, maybe you couldn’t have used it to save your ship, but you could have used it to save yourself.  You’re a god, as you like to remind us,” Tony said.  “You can hold that thing in your hand and not die.  So why didn’t you save yourself?”</p><p>Loki was quiet for a moment, then said, “I am no longer that Loki.  I’m not sure I ever truly was.”</p><p>“Right," Tony said softly, like he knew Loki was telling the truth, but he was still afraid it was all a trick.  Which was fair, considering this was the god of mischief.  </p><p>But Stephen didn't think that was the case here.</p><p>“Okay, we all on the same page now?” Quill asked.  “Everyone good?  Cause Thanos is coming and we need a plan.”</p><p>“Yeah, definitely.  We don’t want to dance with this guy, we just need to get the stones away from him,” Tony said.</p><p>“And how are we supposed to do that?” Loki asked.  “He now has three Infinity Stones, assuming he hasn’t located the Soul Stone yet.  He’s the most powerful being that has ever lived.  What's your plan for retrieving the stones from him?”</p><p>The Time Stone hung heavy around Stephen’s neck.  It had been two years since he had really used it, and the consequences of those actions still affected him and Tony today.  But unlike the last time he had used it, this was a world-ending event.  </p><p><i>A universe-ending event.</i>  </p><p>And definitely something he should use the Time Stone for. </p><p>So why did he hesitate?</p><p>“I don't know yet,” Tony said.  “Maybe the tiniest sliver of an idea, but whatever we come up with, we only get one shot.”</p><p>“And why is that?” Loki asked, letting his eyes drift to the Eye.  “Why not use our greatest resource and look ahead?  It’s the one thing we have that Thanos does not.  He cannot see ahead to know what will happen, but we can.”</p><p>Tony looked to Stephen like the thought hadn’t occurred to him.  Of course it wouldn’t.  Tony wasn't used to dealing with magic like Stephen was.  This was the wisest course of action.  The Eye of Agamotto was unmoving around his neck, but Stephen almost felt like it was alive and listening, like it knew what was coming and what it was being asked to prevent.  </p><p>“It should only take me a few minutes,” Stephen said to Tony.  “But this is exactly what the Eye is meant to be used for.  Something that would affect trillions of lives.  There’s no greater cause.”</p><p>Tony nodded.  “I won’t leave your side.  You do your Jedi thing, and I’ll be right here when you wake up.”</p><p>Stephen crossed his legs and allowed the Cloak to help him to get into a comfortable position to meditate.  His hands shaking just slightly more than usual, he twisted his fingers and opened the Eye.</p><p>The Time Stone gently responded to him, like an old friend.  For a moment he thought he would have to tell it what was happening, but that wasn’t necessary.  He simply asked to view the future and the Stone complied.  </p><p>And when that future ended in trillions dead he asked for another.  And another.  And another…</p><p>*</p><p>“So what’s your deal?” Tony asked Loki a few minutes after Stephen went all sexy space monk.  Tony kept one eye on Stephen, who was doing a very good impression of a lagging video chat, and addressed Loki.  “You invade Earth, try to kill your brother, get thrown in prison.  Last we heard of you, Thor said you died saving his life.”</p><p>Loki didn’t do something as obvious as wring his hands or shuffle his feet, but his shoulders turned in just the smallest amount and he maintained eye contact just a little too strongly.  </p><p>“I told you, Stark,” Loki said.  “I am no longer that Loki.  But do not think that my desire to not die at the hands of Thanos means I will tolerate your abuse.  I don’t care enough about your doubts to sooth them.”</p><p>“Tough,” Tony said plainly.  “How do we know we can trust you to not sell us out if things go badly?  How do we know you aren’t still working for him, and you’ve already told him about Stephen?”</p><p>“Oh, we can help with that,” Quill said, gesturing to the young woman with them.  “Or Mantis can.  She’s an empath, so she can totally tell you if Loki is lying or if he’s being truthful.”</p><p>Loki stiffened when Mantis approached him, which was damning.  “What’s wrong, Professor Snape?  Don’t like the idea of having the truth being told?”</p><p>Loki shook his head.  “No, but this girl child has already had to endure my mind once.  I don’t want to inflict myself upon her again.”</p><p>“Oh,” Tony said, because he didn’t want anyone to suffer, especially not a kid.  It was kinda hard to determine how old Mantis was, but barely out of childhood seemed about right.  “How does that work anyway?”</p><p>“Simple,” Quill said.  “She’s an empath.  She just touches you and knows what you’re feeling.  And you can’t really hide from her, she’s seriously powerful.”</p><p>“I subverted the will of a god,” Mantis said, proud of herself in that way a kid would be, like she wanted a gold star.  Tony had never wished he’d had a gold star more in his life.  </p><p>“I bet you did,” Tony said.  “Can you subvert that god?” he asked, pointing to Loki.</p><p>“Perhaps you should touch Stark first,” Loki said, with some of his old mischief in his eyes.  “So he can know for sure you’re as powerful as you say you are.”</p><p>“Oh, no I completely believe in her…”</p><p>“Oh!” Mantis cried out as she touched Tony’s hand.  “You are very afraid of what’s coming.”</p><p>“Well, that’s kinda understandable, I think,” Tony said.</p><p>“And you feel great love—romantic love—for him!” she said, pointing at Stephen.  </p><p>Tony turned about five shades of red and took his hand back.</p><p>“Well, isn’t that interesting,” Loki said with a smirk Tony definitely remembered from the old days.  “And does the good doctor not know of your affections?”</p><p>“You shut your damn mouth, Loki,” Tony said, putting a finger in Loki's face.</p><p>“Wait, he doesn’t know?” Quill asked, a look of confusing twisting his face.  “I thought you guys were married.  What was with all that hand holding back there?”</p><p>“Ha!” Loki shouted.</p><p>“You love Doctor Dad?” Peter said, practically bouncing up and down, like Christmas had come early.  “Oh my God, are you going to get married?”</p><p>“Okay, just hang on a minute here,” Tony said.  The situation was getting way out of hand, and he had no idea how to get it back.  “No one is going to say a word about this, but…okay, Mantis I believe in you.  Now, would you mind doing Loki now?”</p><p>Mantis nodded, and Tony tried to steer the conversation away from him loving Stephen and back towards the god who could potentially destroy any chance they had in beating Thanos.  Mantis laid her hand on Loki’s and immediately started crying.</p><p>“You…fell,” she said softly, like it hurt her just to say the words.  “You are still falling.”</p><p>Loki gently took his hand out of hers and patted her on the back.  “That’s enough of that now, dear child.”  He looked up at Tony with a glare, and yeah maybe Tony deserved that a little.  “Happy, Stark?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m good,” he said, because what else could he say?  Loki was the god of mischief, and this was an incredibly sensitive situation.  He had to know if he was trustworthy.  That didn’t mean he felt good about what he just did. </p><p>Behind him, Stephen’s body shuddered a bit before he shouted, thrown from his meditation back into reality.  Tony caught him before the Cloak could and helped him to the ground.  </p><p>“You’re back, Doc,” Tony whispered softly.  “You’re alright.”</p><p>Stephen looked up from the hard, dead earth and met his eyes.  </p><p>The look he gave Tony blew him away.  It was like Stephen hadn’t seen him in years, but now that he had he was finally home.  There was relief in his eyes, and something Tony was too afraid to put a label on.  “Hi,” he said softly, like maybe he was just happy to see Tony’s face.  </p><p>“Seriously, they’re not married?” Quill asked.</p><p>“Enough.  What did you see, Strange?” Loki demanded.</p><p>“I went forward in time to view alternate futures.  To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict.”</p><p>“How many did you see?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Five thousand three hundred and seventy-one,” Stephen said.  </p><p>That…couldn’t be good.  There was no way it was a good thing that Stephen had to look so many times.</p><p>“And how many iterations of the same plan did you view?” Loki asked. </p><p>“What do you mean?” Peter asked.</p><p>“I mean, how many times did he try just using a portal to chop off Thanos’ hand,” Loki said, as though time travel was just an ordinary day for him.  “Did he try chopping it off and portaling him to a hell dimension?  If that didn’t work did he try the same thing but with the dark dimension?”</p><p>“Yes, of course,” Stephen said.  “My primary focus was to stop Thanos, but I also wanted—”</p><p>“Stephen,” Tony asked, because these two might drive him insane if they actually started working together.  “Five thousand futures, but how many did we win?”</p><p>Stephen turned to look at Tony…</p><p>And smiled.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh, it's so much fun writing Loki interacting with the supreme fam.  So much fun, I love it.  I also think poor Mantis would just start crying any time she touched him.  </p><p>This is the last chapter title that starts 'original timeline.'  Next week starts the schism.  Thank you so much for sticking with me through the beginning of the story!  </p><p>If you enjoyed the chapter please let me know.  Comments are wonderful and I love every one!</p><p> </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Rupture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>That's right.  40k in and we have arrived at the plot.  Thank you to everyone who has followed so far.  Your encouragement means so much to me.  </p><p>Thanks to silent_serendipity and foxglove_fiction for beta reading and being the best cheerleaders.  All my love.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Live to fight another day.</i>
</p><p>Loki crouched next to the spider child and Mantis behind a rock and thought of what he’d told Thor on the Statesmen.  He had been right then.  There was a difference between strategy and cowardice, but that didn’t help him at the moment.  </p><p>The sound of a portal opening broke the silence, and Loki’s heart dropped to his knees.  </p><p>“Oh, yeah.  You're much more of a Thanos.”</p><p>His eyes closed of their own volition, his fists curling, his magic making green sparks against his will in a way it hadn’t since he’d been a child learning at his mother’s feet.</p><p>Strange’s plan was madness.  He didn’t care if he had witnessed thousands of futures with the Time Stone, there was no way this could work.  And though Loki knew Strange was no ally to Thanos, he didn’t trust him.  He’d seen something he wasn’t revealing.  Something damning, something he had to keep hidden from his allies, which was never a good thing.  </p><p>It reminded Loki too much of himself.</p><p>Loki only hoped it wouldn’t blow up in his face before they could fulfill his foolish plan.  </p><p>“Let me guess?” Strange asked.  “Your home?”</p><p>The plan was so simple it was stupid.  Or perhaps Strange kept it as simple as he did so there was a greater chance of it actually succeeding.  Loki would gladly go along with any damn fool idea as long as Thanos ended up dead.</p><p>Right now, Stark was getting into position.  He’d unload the biggest piece of rubble he could find onto Thanos’ head and then the fight would commence.  All Loki had to do was his part of the plan and keep from getting killed.  </p><p>And not freeze like he did last time someone really counted on him. </p><p>Gamora wasn’t with Thanos, and that didn’t bode well.  Loki could only hope maybe she was being kept somewhere on the Sanctuary, safe and away from the fighting.  He’d only seen that brief exchange between them on Knowhere, but it had seemed as though Thanos held real affection for her.  Perhaps…</p><p>No, Loki thought and shook his head.  There was nothing that would stand in the way of Thanos gaining the Stones.  Not even the death of his daughter.  And if he had hurt or killed her, Loki wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to forgive himself.  </p><p>“I think you’ll find our will is equal to yours!”</p><p>Loki rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but that was his signal to strike.  Stark picked up an entire busted ship and dropped it right over Thanos’ head.  </p><p>That might have slowed him by a few minutes, if he didn’t have the Power Stone.  </p><p>Bright purple light burst through the ship and the fight was on.  Loki concentrated his efforts on getting to Strange, while the rest of them came at Thanos with blades and cannons and fists.  </p><p>“This is part of your great plan?” Loki hissed as he ran up next to Strange.</p><p>“Don’t let him close his fist,” Stephen whispered to the Cloak, who dashed off to wrap itself around Thanos’ gloved hand.  “Yes.  Help me help Peter.”</p><p>The spider child—Peter—jumped through portal after portal that Strange created, delivering kicks to Thanos that were no greater than an annoyance, all of it just stalling for time until everyone was able to get into correct formation for the plan.  </p><p>“Magic with a kick!”</p><p>The boy <i>was</i> as fast as he had promised, but not faster than Thanos.</p><p>He grabbed Peter out of the air before Strange could portal him to safety and threw him his direction, but Loki was able to catch him with a heavy mist that cradled him safely to the ground. </p><p><i>Don’t let him close his fist</i>.</p><p>The Cloak of Levitation wrapped itself around the Gauntlet, and the sound of it being ripped off was loud even on a battlefield.  Loki spared just a thought to what magic it would take to repair it before he used his own to bind Thanos’ hand.</p><p>A green mist wrapped itself around the Gauntlet, Loki’s strongest binding spell holding Thanos’ hand where it was, not allowing him to close it.  He was far away enough that Thanos didn’t even see him, he just blasted Loki’s spell with the Power Stone and the shock wave was enough to throw Loki to the ground.</p><p>“Peter, don’t let him close his fist!” Stephen hissed as they both got to their feet and back to the fighting.  </p><p>Webs flew through the air and around the Gauntlet, Peter’s own creation strong enough to prevent Thanos from using the Gauntlet if only for a moment.  Thanos ripped it off and aimed the Gauntlet directly at Tony.  </p><p>Before Strange could cast a shield to protect him, a small ship descended from the sky and a blue woman leaped from the cockpit brandishing two swords.  Strange’s face twisted in shock, like he’d been expecting her, but not so soon.  That wasn’t a good sign.</p><p>“Now,” Strange hissed, and Loki was right.  It was too early, but what choice did they have?  They’d married themselves to Strange’s foolish plan and now they had to see it through.</p><p>“Where’s Gamora?” the blue woman shouted and slashed across Thanos’ throat.  </p><p>Loki approached from behind, his magic a green mist just hovering in the air waiting to strike.  They were almost all there, all he needed was Stark to get into position.</p><p>Red and gold streaked by and Strange didn’t wait another moment, he cast the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, the red cords slithering out and wrapping around Thanos’ hand, keeping him firmly in place.  On his other side, Drax kicked Thanos hard enough to bring him to his knees and Peter webbed his other hand in place.  </p><p>With his other hand, Strange created a portal and Mantis dropped down and began using her powers to put Thanos in a magical sleep.</p><p>“Do it quickly!” she shouted.  “He is very strong!”</p><p>Green lightning came from Loki’s hands, wrapping itself around the Gauntlet as he tried to yank it off.  His face turned red, every muscle straining as he pulled as hard as he could but to no avail.  </p><p>“Okay, come on kid, let’s get in here,” Stark said, and he and Peter tried to pull the Gauntlet off with pure force.  </p><p>Strange still had Thanos’ other hand wrapped, but even in a magic-induced sleep it was almost too much for them.  </p><p>Loki helped Tony and Peter to try to get the Gauntlet off, then cursed himself when he turned it over and saw bright orange where there should have been an empty slot.  Loki’s eyes went wide and he looked over to Strange in condemnation.  </p><p>Strange gave him a slight nod, all the acknowledgment of what Loki suspected he could afford for the moment.</p><p>“Come on, Loki, put your back into it,” Tony grunted, right as Quill flew over to stand in front of Thanos himself.  “Okay, on three a big pull.”</p><p>“You were a lot easier to catch than I’d thought,” Quill said.  “For the record, this was my plan.”</p><p>It wasn’t, but Strange had already committed one grave sin against Quill, he owed him one.  Loki put his back into it, begged to Odin, Frigga, to anyone who would listen to please let this work.</p><p>“Where’s Gamora?” Quill demanded.  “Asshole!  Where is she?”</p><p>“Quill, help them,” Strange hissed with gritted teeth.  The Gauntlet was staying on his hand, like it didn’t want to come off.  </p><p>“He is in anguish,” Mantis cried.  “He mourns!”<br/>
“What does this monster have to mourn?” Drax grunted, struggling with Stephen to hold Thanos down.  </p><p>“Quiet!” Loki shouted, all his strength still on their goal.  “We’re close…”</p><p>Loki’s eyes looked to Strange then to the bright orange stone that screamed Thanos’ sins over any other sound.  The Soul Stone mocked the Guardian’s pain silently, shining brightly in the Gauntlet but no one noticed its screaming.  </p><p>“Gamora,” Nebula finally said.  “He took her to Vormir.  He came back with the Soul Stone.  And she didn’t.”  </p><p>Every eye went to the bright orange stone in the Gauntlet, Stephen silently pleading with Tony not to give up.</p><p>“Quill, you gotta keep it under control,” Tony said quickly recognizing the simmering rage for what it was.  “Don’t do anything, come on!  We almost got this off!”</p><p>Strange grunted as he held the bands around Thanos, unable to stop Quill punching Thanos awake.  Loki dropped the Gauntlet and grabbed Quill just as he threw a punch that dislodged Mantis from his shoulders.  </p><p>“I got it!” Peter shouted, the Gauntlet just inches away from being completely off.</p><p>But it was too late.  Thanos grabbed the Gauntlet back and sent an orange blast from the Soul Stone towards all the Guardians, knocking them out with one blow.  With another twist of his fist, he sent a blast from the Power Stone to a moon, destroying it and sending it crashing down around the Avengers. </p><p>And then the only ones left on the field were himself and Strange.  </p><p>Strange let loose the Crimson Bands a second time, this time all of them burning and slithering like snakes across the canyon floors while Loki rained down ice blades upon Thanos’ head.  </p><p>Thanos broke the bands and blasted his ice blades out of the sky.  </p><p>The blast that broke Strange’s bands sent Loki to the ground, but he got back up and cast one of the very few spells he’d learned from Thor.  As Strange created a hundred images of himself that bound Thanos, Loki opened the sky and struck him with lightning bolts that would put the god of thunder himself to shame.  </p><p>A blast from the Power Stone came careening towards them, but Strange enveloped himself and Loki in the mirror dimension, shielding them from the blast.  </p><p>Loki commanded the lightning to strike harder, the entire sky lit up in rage but Thanos broke through Strange’s protection and blasted Loki to the ground.  </p><p>His head swam and he struggled to get up.  Strange was fighting alone, and while Loki didn’t care whether that absolute waste of a sorcerer lived or died, he did care if Thanos got the Time Stone.  He tried to open his pocket dimension to use the Casket of Ancient Winters, but his vision swam.</p><p>The battlefield grew quiet and Loki knew Strange had finally lost.</p><p>“You’re full of tricks, wizard,” Thanos said, grabbing Strange by the neck and tearing away the false Eye of Agamotto.  “But you never once used your greatest weapon.”  He crushed the Eye in his hand and it crumbled to dust.  “A fake.”  He gave Stephen a sly smile, almost like he respected the subterfuge before he flung him into a pile of rubble.</p><p>Loki struggled to keep his eyes open but saw Strange hit his head on a rock.  It wasn't time yet.  He needed to get up, needed to keep fighting, but he couldn’t lift his head.  He heard stones falling as someone came up from behind him, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open to see who it was.  </p><p>He heard the faint hum of Earth technology.</p><p>Stark.</p><p><i>Oh, thank the Norns.</i>  </p><p>Before Thanos had the chance to search for the Time Stone, Stark landed right in front of Strange.  Stark was so much smaller and yet he might as well have been an army between Thanos and what he wanted.</p><p>He grunted and called upon his magic, creating the strongest healing spell he could and casting it on himself.  Stark had plenty of incentive to protect Strange, but he was still only one man.</p><p>"You throw another moon at me, and I’m gonna lose it,” Stark said, standing between Strange and a madman capable of ending them with one good blast from the Stones.  There was no way Thanos would get to Strange and the Time Stone while Stark was still standing.  </p><p>“Don’t even look at him,” Stark shouted, panting as he stood between them.  “You want him, you go through me.”</p><p>“Stark.”</p><p>Loki’s eyes closed in horror.  Of course the Mad Titan knew Stark, <i>of course he did</i>.  Of course he knew the man responsible for the destruction of his army.  But all that meant was Thanos had even more incentive to finish him now.</p><p>“You know me?” </p><p>“I do,” Thanos said.  “You aren’t the only one cursed with knowledge.”</p><p>Stark’s voice trembled as he said, “My only curse is you.”</p><p>He unleashed his largest weapon, missiles coming from his shoulders and launching their fire at Thanos.  With a blast from the Infinity Gauntlet, he blew them all away.  </p><p>“Come on!” Thanos shouted, blasting Stark with the Power Stone.  </p><p>Stark fought like a desperate man, like he was the only one standing between Thanos and the death of everyone he loved.  </p><p>
  <i>And he was.</i>
</p><p>Stark launched another cascade of missiles, blasted him with blue crescent weapons that scorched the earth around them.  He fought with his own fists and kicked with whatever powered his suit and enabled him to fly.</p><p>Every beam was blocked, every punch countered, every single thing Stark threw at him nullified by the power of the Infinity Stones.  It was simply too much for any one man to counter, and Stark was just a man.  </p><p>Loki was a god.  </p><p>He should get up.  He <i>could</i> get up, he knew.  He was injured but the healing spell healed him enough that he could fight.  He should get up and help Stark, help him in any way, even if it meant his death.  If Thanos won the day he’d end up dead regardless.</p><p>Thanos ripped away Stark’s weapons one-by-one until parts of his face and shoulders were exposed, his suit instinctively knowing to cover his chest and innards before anything else.  He ripped off his helmet and another created itself, but he lost coverage around his legs.  </p><p><i>Get up</i>, Loki shouted at himself.  He was no coward.  This was his fight as much as it was Stark’s.  He had to stop this. </p><p>But fear was a paralytic.  He stood frozen as Stark kept on punching, kept trying anything to stop Thanos getting to Strange.  His hits grew wilder, more desperate as he ran out of ammunition and had nothing but his own body and slivers of his suit left.  </p><p>With a glance back to Strange, Stark created a blade and used his remaining strength to attempt to stab Thanos in the heart.  It wouldn’t work—of course it wouldn’t—even if Thanos could be stabbed with something as simple as a blade.  </p><p>Thanos broke off the blade with his bare hands and there was only one way this could end now.  Without thought, Loki closed his eyes and shifted his skin.  </p><p>Then he stood, just as Thanos was about to run Stark through.</p><p>“Father,” Loki cried out, hearing his words in Gamora’s voice.  “Father, please don’t.”</p><p>Thanos’ eyes went wide and he dropped Stark and the blade and turned his entire focus on Loki.</p><p>Loki, who was now the only one standing between Thanos and the Time Stone.  </p><p>Loki, who Thanos had torn from the cold depths of space and <i>tortured</i> until he agreed to fulfill his wishes.  </p><p>Loki, who was trembling but still standing.  </p><p>“Daughter?” he asked hopefully, looking over every inch of Loki to find the lie.  He wouldn’t find it, not there.  Shape-shifting was the first magic Loki ever learned and one look was all he needed to replicate someone else’s skin.  </p><p>But he couldn’t fool him forever.  </p><p>In another moment, Thanos would figure out his ruse and kill Loki like he hadn't bothered doing twice before.  All he could do was buy time for Strange to enact his ridiculous plan, like maybe this was still salvageable.  </p><p>With Stark thrown to the side, Thanos took cautious steps towards Loki, and Loki locked every joint in his body in an attempt not to take a step back.  Gamora hadn’t been afraid of her father.  Gamora had run towards the Mad Titan with three Infinity Stones when Loki had cowered behind boxes and hid.  </p><p>To his right, Stark crawled on his elbows and knees to get to Strange.  He helped him to sit up, and leaned him against the remains of his suit.  </p><p>Loki had always been an excellent actor, but Thanos knew Gamora well.  He looked at Loki, truly <i>looked</i> and saw.  </p><p>Fear.  He knew his form mirrored Gamora’s perfectly.  The only thing that would have thrown him off was the fear in Loki’s eyes.</p><p>As soon as he realized Loki’s ruse, he roared.  “You!” he hissed.  “I should have killed you when I killed your people!”  </p><p>Loki let his shape shift back to his true self and with one hand conjured the strongest shield he had and with the other conjured a blade of green flame.</p><p>“You killed your daughter for nothing, you swine!” he shouted, stabbing at Thanos pointlessly, just trying to distract him for another minute, a few seconds while Strange came to.  Thanos grabbed Loki by his head and aimed the Gauntlet right at him.  Loki closed his eyes, but before he could make a killing blow, Strange shouted.</p><p>“Stop!”</p><p>Thanos looked to his left where Strange was cradled against Stark’s chest.  With a pained groan, he sat up and held up a hand.</p><p>“Spare his life, and I will give you the stone,” he said.  </p><p>Loki’s eyes went wide and he raised his shield higher.  “Don’t!”</p><p>“You would exchange the Time Stone for <i>him?</i>” Thanos gestured towards Loki, as though he was worth nothing, like there was no point to him. </p><p>Strange nodded.</p><p>“Doc, please don’t,” Stark said, putting a hand on Strange’s shoulder.  </p><p>“No tricks,” Thanos said, digging the Gauntlet deeper into Loki’s throat.  </p><p>Strange shook his head.  </p><p>Without another glance, Thanos tossed Loki aside.  He walked over to Strange, who had just promised to give up everything they defended to a being hell-bent on destroying half the universe.</p><p>“This is madness, Strange!” Loki called out, but Strange didn’t respond.  With a shaking hand, he picked a star in the sky and plucked the Time Stone from the pocket dimension he’d hidden it.  It floated from him right to Thanos’ gauntlet.  </p><p>Power surged through him, the green of the Time Stone coursing through his body as he gained impossibly more power. </p><p>“Thanos!” Quill shouted.  The souls of the Guardians must have returned to their bodies the second Thanos stopped caring about any of them.  And why should he?  He had exactly what he wanted.</p><p>“One to go,” he said and then vanished in a haze of smoke.  </p><p>To Earth.  And the one Infinity Stone left.</p><p>*</p><p>“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Loki said as Stephen let Tony and Peter help him up.</p><p>His head was still swimming from the knock Thanos gave him, but he was otherwise fine.  Tony had also taken a terrible beating, but the suit had done its job and kept him from any serious injuries.  One by one the rest of the Guardians woke, their souls returned to them, and came to join them.  </p><p>“No,” Stephen said, and let out a relieved sigh.  “We all played a dangerous game, but it’s over now.  We won.”</p><p>Nebula shook her head at him.  “It couldn’t have been that easy.”</p><p>“Easy?” Tony shouted, as loud as he could.  “You call that easy?”</p><p>Nebula was right.  It hadn’t gone as smoothly as Stephen would have liked, but they’d done it.  They kept Thanos on Titan long enough for the Avengers on Earth to get exactly where they needed to be to cast the killing blow. </p><p>“This was a success to you?” Tony asked, and Stephen couldn’t blame him.  He’d gone a round with a Titan.  Even though he wasn’t hurt, he looked exhausted and his suit was half destroyed.  </p><p>But it was so much better than the alternative.  Stephen had seen Tony fight and die in five thousand iterations of their future.  He’d been in love with Tony before, but it ran far deeper now.  He’d lived thousands of futures with Tony by his side.  Stephen had never witnessed the raw power and determination of Tony Stark in a crisis.  Regardless of what connected them, Stephen loved him beyond all reason.  </p><p>Tony looked at Stephen, visibly upset and needing answers.  “You’re absolutely certain this was the way it was supposed to go down?”</p><p>Stephen nodded.  “Yes, this is what was supposed to happen.  Right now, on Earth, every Avenger still on the battlefield is fighting Thanos to keep him from getting to Vision.  They will all fail, <i>but</i> they will keep him occupied long enough for Thor to get across the battlefield and throw Stormbreaker right into Thanos’ head.”</p><p>“So Vision will be okay?” Peter asked.  </p><p>Stephen sighed and stole a glance at Tony.  “No.  Before Thor gets there, Thanos will take the Stone from his head.”</p><p>Tony looked at him in shock.  He knew Tony cared for the Vision, his feelings for him complicated because of his relation to Jarvis, but there had been no way around it.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Tony.  But once we’re back on Earth, I can use the Time Stone to help him,” Stephen said.  “The only thing I won’t be able to do is rip the memory of losing Vision twice from Wanda’s memory.  Poor thing.”</p><p>Tony sighed and nodded his head.  “There really was no way around that?”</p><p>“No,” Stephen said.  “I tried so many iterations, but nothing worked as well as this.  At first, or course I tried killing him with brute strength, but it never worked.  The combined firepower of you, myself, Loki, Nebula, and the rest of the Guardians was never enough to even hurt him.”</p><p>“Who’s Nebula?” Tony asked.  </p><p>“Me,” she said, her head still bowed in grief.</p><p>“After that I tried using a portal to remove his arm,” Stephen said, thinking back to the first few dozen tries.  “That didn’t work.  Then I tried dropping him into an empty dimension, but he was always able to get out.  I tried transporting him to a hell dimension, but he just came back.  I even tried <i>running</i>, but it never worked.”</p><p>Every eye but Quill’s were on him, judging him, like they would have been able to do better.  </p><p>Maybe they would have, but he did the best he could with what he was given.  The only one who didn’t seem to be judging him was Loki, who seemed as though he understood.</p><p>“Then you let him take the Time Stone to Earth,” Loki said, as though he just realized what Stephen had planned.  “And in doing so, you added my brother into your equation.”</p><p>Stephen nodded.  “Exactly.  But Thanos had to have the Time Stone with him or he would never leave Titan.  That’s why I <i>had</i> to give it to him.  To get him in the path of your brother.”</p><p>Loki nodded his head and smiled, a small genuine thing but a smile nonetheless.  </p><p>“You brother <i>and</i> his axe.  Thor was successful,” Stephen told him.  “He went to Nidavellir and had an axe created that could kill Thanos.  He’ll be the one to cast the killing blow, and it’ll be over.”</p><p>Tony gave him a look of complete disbelief, like he simply couldn’t fathom that the weight that had been upon his shoulders for years was finally gone.  </p><p>“He’s dead?” Tony asked, putting his hands on Stephen’s shoulders.  “You’re sure?”</p><p>Stephen nodded.  “Not yet, but in a few minutes, yes.  He will be.  Right now he’s making his way through every Avenger still on Earth.”</p><p>“So you knew everything,” Quill said, his tone flat.  “You knew everything that was going to happen.”</p><p>“Ah,” Stephen said, ashamed that in all the chaos he’d almost forgotten the disservice he’d done Peter Quill.  “I’m sorry, Quill.  Every time I told you about Gamora you attacked Thanos blindly, no holding back, even when we needed you to.”</p><p>“There must have been a reason why no one knew the location of the Soul Stone,” Loki said, almost to himself.  “I don’t know what he did to her, but he came to Titan with a stone no one had seen in recorded history.”</p><p>Quill didn’t seem to care.  Rage twisted his face, and Stephen dodged the first punch but missed the uppercut to his jaw.  </p><p>Peter caught him before he could fall to the ground.  There was a scuffle behind him.  He and Tony wrestled on the ground like Quill had tried to kill him.</p><p>“Tony!” Stephen shouted, holding his aching—but uninjured—jaw.  “Leave him alone.  I deserved that.”  And he did, even if he’d tried telling Quill a thousand times only for him to lose his temper at the exact wrong moment every time.  That didn’t stop Stephen from feeling terrible guilt.  He knew what they had gone through, what Gamora had to have gone through. He’d heard their story thousands of times.</p><p>“You deserve more than that!” Quill shouted, still lost in his anger.  </p><p>“Quill,” Nebula said softly, “Thanos killed Gamora.  Not this man.”</p><p>Stephen helped Tony—who was still beaten and winded—up, his heart warmed at the defense he had put up for him.  </p><p>“Thank you,” Stephen said softly.  “You didn’t have to do that.  I’m exhausted or I would have dodged that punch.”</p><p>“He shouldn’t have hit you,” Tony said, holding on to Stephen’s jaw.  “It wasn’t your fault, Stephen.  You did everything you could do to have the least pain possible.”</p><p>He truly had.  He’d even tried to figure out a way to get Thor to Thanos quicker, to spare Wanda the pain of seeing Vision die twice, but this was truly the best he could do.  He only wished he could have helped everyone.  </p><p>“He had his reasons, but…thank you, Tony,” Stephen said, his voice soft and tender.  The little shadow flickered just a little, feelings of hope and contentment and maybe…  </p><p>The hand that was holding his jaw shifted just a little, so it was no longer checking for injury but was now holding him tenderly.  Tony looked at him, a question in his eyes that terrified Stephen.  </p><p>That little shadow flickered brighter, and Stephen couldn’t believe what he was feeling.  That maybe his feelings were reciprocated, that maybe Tony felt exactly what he felt.  Maybe there was a chance.</p><p>“Strange…” </p><p>Something in the tone of Loki’s voice was off.  He sounded frightened—no, terrified—in a way he hadn’t before.  Even in facing down Thanos.  </p><p>Stephen turned and saw Loki standing in front of him with his hand raised.</p><p>His <i>translucent</i> hand. </p><p>“What dark magic is this?” he hissed, his eyes brimmed.  </p><p>“What the hell?” Tony said, and reached out.  </p><p>His hand went <i>through</i> Loki’s.  </p><p>“No,” Stephen said, but Loki’s arm disappeared right before him and the rest of him began to fade.  “No, what is this?  This isn’t what happens.”</p><p>For the first time, Loki showed every ounce of his fear on his face.</p><p>“Brother?” he whispered just before he faded from existence.  </p><p>They were silent for a moment, Stephen’s heart pounding in his chest as he realized something had gone horribly wrong.</p><p>“What the hell?” Tony shouted.  “What just happened?  Where did he go?”</p><p>“Where did who go?” Quill asked.  “Thanos?  To Earth.  We lost, dipshit.”</p><p>“No, not Thanos!” Tony shouted  “Loki!” </p><p>“Who the hell is Loki?”</p><p>A terrible feeling of dread settled over Stephen, suffocating him as he tried to determine what had just happened.</p><p>“What do you mean who the hell is Loki?” Tony shouted, his voice shaking.  “He’s the guy who literally just faded away!”</p><p>“Stark, there has been no one but us since we arrived hours ago,” Drax said.  “Nebula came, but no one else.  Are you experiencing delusions?”</p><p>“Are you alright?” Mantis asked Tony.</p><p>“No, I’m not alright!” he shouted.  “Loki, Thor’s brother.  You remember Thor?  You picked up him and Loki floating in space.”</p><p>Quill shook his head.  “We picked up Thor, but no one else.  Seriously, man, you okay?”</p><p>“Peter,” Tony said, stumbling to him.  “Peter, tell me they’re fucking with me.  You remember Loki, right?  Tall, pale, Iggy Pop meets late John Lennon?”</p><p>Peter nodded like he was afraid, disturbed at watching one of his father figures be so upset  “Yeah, I-I remember Loki.  He attacked New York.”</p><p>“No,” Tony said, gritting his teeth.  “Not then—”</p><p>“I remember him, Tony,” Stephen said.  “But only you and I do.  Whatever happened didn’t affect us.”</p><p>“Okay, but why—” Tony said, his voice growing weaker before he coughed up blood.  </p><p>“Mr. Stark!” Peter shouted, catching Tony before he fell to the ground.  He laid him down to the ground, revealing a large, deep cut along his side.</p><p>Right where Thanos would have stabbed him if Loki had not intervened.  </p><p>Tony coughed again, and blood splattered across Stephen’s face.  His mind raced, still triaging after all these years, knowing that Tony wouldn’t last long with a wound like that on this planet.  He raised his hands and raced to use the same binding spell he’d used two years ago, damn the consequences…</p><p>But the Time Stone was gone.</p><p>He needed a powerful relic, and Stephen didn’t think the Cloak would cut it.  He raced to put a hand over the wound, desperately trying to stop the blood flow.</p><p>Tony beat him to it, activating the nano particles and sealing the wound shut.  </p><p>His face looked grey, his body shaking from the trauma.  “How the hell could I have missed that?  Adrenaline?”</p><p>Adrenaline counted for a lot of things, but Stephen had checked Tony over when the fight had ended.  He would have noticed a stab wound that large.  </p><p>The little shadow in the back of his mind was frozen in terror.  The Cloak removed itself from Stephen's shoulders and wrapped around Tony.</p><p>“What the hell is happening, Doc?” </p><p>Stephen shook his head.  He had no idea, and without the Time Stone he had no way of looking ahead.</p><p>A chill wind blew, the air eerily silent.  Something inside Stephen shifted, like day turning into long, dark night.</p><p>“Something is happening…”</p><p>Mantis looked up towards Drax then her body turned to dust.  </p><p>“Quill?” Drax said, just before he joined her. </p><p>Tony leaned on the Cloak to stand up.  The little shadow in the back of his mind was petrified.  </p><p>“Steady, Quill,” Tony said just before Quill turned to dust as well.  </p><p>Tony stumbled as he chased after the ash, the only remnants of the Guardians black smudges on his hands.  </p><p>This wasn’t supposed to happen.  This wasn’t the future Stephen had seen, none of it.  Thanos was supposed to get to earth and die there.  He wasn’t supposed to succeed.  </p><p>Trembling hands found their way to his face.</p><p>“Doc?” Tony asked, holding Stephen like he was terrified he’d slip away.</p><p>“I—I don’t know what happened,” Stephen whispered.  “I saw everything.  I don’t know—”</p><p>“Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his voice trembling.  “Doctor Strange?  I don’t feel so good.”</p><p>
  <i>No.</i>
</p><p>“No, please,” Stephen begged as Tony ran over to catch Peter as he fell.  “Please, no.”</p><p>Peter fell into Tony’s arms, tears streaming down his face.  Tony held onto him tightly, not saying a word.  Peter reached out a hand and grabbed onto Stephen’s tunic.  </p><p>“Please, I don’t want to go,” Peter cried.  “I don’t want to go.”</p><p>Stephen sank to his knees as Peter’s body began to dematerialize.  “I’m sorry,” Peter whispered before he turned to dust.  </p><p>And then there was silence. </p><p>Tony’s blood-stained hands were black with ash.  He tried to wipe it off, a far-off distant look in his eyes.</p><p>“He did it,” Nebula said, before she sank to her knees to mourn with them.  </p><p>It didn’t matter how.  Not when the only thing they had left of Peter was the ash on Tony’s hands.  </p><p>Stephen fell onto the floor right next to Tony, right where Peter had been, and held him.  Their tears made tracks through Peter’s ashes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For anyone distressed, I point out the 'temporary character death' tag and also the 'everyone lives, no one dies' tag.  I promise a happy ending always.  But we gotta get there.  </p><p>If you enjoyed the chapter, please let me know.  I appreciate every comment.  </p><p> </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Last Breath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to everyone who left exclamation points and keyboard smashes and paragraphs of comments, I appreciate every single one.  </p>
<p>Thank you to silent_serendipity for beta reading this chapter.  You're the best.  </p>
<p>Here's a chapter that maybe answers some questions but probably only raises further questions.  I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen wasn’t sure how long they knelt together in the dust and dirt, holding on to each other and praying they wouldn’t disappear.  Their arms wrapped around each other, as though they were holding each other together.  If that might have worked Stephen would've grabbed hold of Peter and never let go.</p>
<p>The little shadow in the back of his mind wailed its loss.  </p>
<p>Behind them, Nebula knelt in the ashes of the Guardians, mourning both them and her sister.  She had lost the most, Stephen realized, her sister and her entire crew gone.  At least he and Tony still had each other.  </p>
<p>Grief threatened to strangle Stephen, threatened to drown him as it overwhelmed him and stopped him from even taking a breath let alone think ahead.  He needed to get up.  He needed to figure out what had happened, where had his looking through time gone so wrong that the future took such a terrible turn.  </p>
<p>He wouldn’t find answers here, and he needed them if he was going to determine a course of action to undo everything Thanos had just done.  He needed to get up, needed to get Tony and Nebula up and to Earth.  Tony needed better medical treatment, and Stephen needed to talk to the Avengers who had been on that battlefield.</p>
<p>But first he needed to stand up.  </p>
<p>Tony was shaking in his arms.  The Cloak was draped over the both of them, embracing them as they mourned.  </p>
<p>“Come on, Tony,” Stephen whispered, his voice sounding so loud in the silence.  “We need to get back and find out what happened.  Then maybe we can see about reversing it.”</p>
<p>Tony lifted his head, tear tracks cutting through the dust on his face.  Stephen closed his eyes and tried not to think of where that dust had come from.</p>
<p>“Is that even possible?” he asked.</p>
<p>Nebula looked over as well, like the possibility hadn’t occurred to her. </p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Stephen said.  “But I know we won’t find any answers here.  We need to find out what happened when Thanos arrived in Wakanda.  Whatever it was differed greatly from what the Time Stone showed me.”</p>
<p>He helped Tony up, his legs shaky from loss of blood and shock.  Then he said to Nebula, “When you arrived on Titan there was another man with us, helping us.  He was pale and had long, black hair.  He was wearing green armor in the style of Asgard.  Do you remember him?”</p>
<p>Nebula shook her head.  “None of us did.  Do you think that has something to do with what’s happened here?”</p>
<p>Stephen shook his head.  “I don’t know.  But I’m going to find out.  Will you go with us to Earth?”</p>
<p>“Terra?” Nebula said, then shrugged.  “I suppose.  There’s nothing for me here, but if I can help you to undo what Thanos did I will.”</p>
<p>“I can make a portal the size of your ship,” Stephen said.  “We’ll go to the Compound first.”</p>
<p>“Not Wakanda?” Tony asked.</p>
<p>Stephen shook his head.  “The Compound.  You need medical treatment, plus we know the layout better.” </p>
<p>“Fine,” Tony said.  “I want to fly over New York first then, see what help is needed.  I can only imagine—</p>
<p>“Oh,” Tony said, surfacing just the tiniest bit from his grief to realize that what just happened hadn’t just affected Peter and the Guardians.  Thanos had destroyed half of all life in the <i>universe.</i>   And while it was easy to say, it wasn’t something easily understood.  </p>
<p>“My God,” Tony gasped.  “Half of all people—doctors in the middle of surgery.  Airplane pilots.  People driving their cars, kids in the backseat.  Damn it, this is—”</p>
<p>“I know,” Stephen said because he was right there with Tony in a panic, but they had to focus.  “And we’ll help everyone we can, but we need to get back first.”</p>
<p>Tony’s eyes looked crazed, but he nodded.  Then something occurred to him.  “Pepper.  Rhodey.  Happy.  May, oh God, May,” he said, burying his face in his hands.</p>
<p>Stephen didn’t even think, just grabbed Tony to his chest again.  </p>
<p>“We’ll fix this.  We have to.”</p>
<p>Nebula started her ship, and Stephen opened a portal.  He was already so exhausted it took a moment to make a portal large enough for the ship to pass through but he made it.  They quickly crossed, flying right over New York City.</p>
<p>It was in chaos.  </p>
<p>Nebula flew low and they were able to witness the utter havoc let loose on the city.  Helicopters had flown into buildings, planes had crashed, and every street was jammed with crashed cars.  And those things were visible from hundreds of feet in the air.  Stephen could only imagine the state of the hospitals, patients turning to dust on tables along with their surgeons and nurses, of homes with babies whose caregivers turned to dust.</p>
<p>It was everything he’d sought to avoid and yet it had happened regardless.  </p>
<p>Now he needed to find out how.  </p>
<p>Tony gave Nebula the coordinates to Avengers Compound, and they fled the carnage of New York City.  </p>
<p>“Boss?” Friday shouted, her voice garbled as Tony’s suit was partially dismantled.  “Boss is that you?”</p>
<p>“Oh, baby girl,” Tony sighed.  “I’m so glad to hear your voice.”</p>
<p>“Boss, what happened?”  </p>
<p>Stephen was no longer surprised at the emotion that Friday showed.  The Cloak and Friday showed more personality and love than some of the people Stephen had in his acquaintance.  And right now Friday was terrified.</p>
<p>“Friday, call Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy.  And Peter’s aunt.  May.  May Parker.  Call all of them,” Tony said, his voice revealing all of his desperation.</p>
<p>After a half a second, Friday said, “I have Miss Potts.”</p>
<p>“Tony?  Tony, are you okay?” Pepper asked, her voice shaking.  </p>
<p>Tony nearly sank to his knees in relief.  “Yeah, I’m fine.  I’m back.  God, Pepper, your voice.  I didn’t know—”  He reached out and held onto Stephen’s arm, his grip weak but desperate.  “Look, we’re gonna fix this.  Pep, you have the codes.  Unleash the Iron Legion.  Tell them to go to New York.  There are—”</p>
<p>“I’m at the Tower," Pepper said, her voice trembling.  “I don’t know what’s going on.  Tony, Happy was here and he just…disappeared right in front of me.  What’s happening?”</p>
<p>“Boss, I have Colonel Rhodes on the line,” Friday said.  “I can’t find Happy or May Parker.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think you can stop trying Happy, Friday,” Tony said, defeated.  “Pepper, I’ll get to you as quick as I can, but I’m with Stephen and we’re going to try to fix this.”</p>
<p>“Stephen is with you?” Pepper cried, like Stephen being with Tony was the answer to every problem.  “Can magic fix this?  <i>Happy disappeared right in front of me</i>!”</p>
<p>“I don't know,” Tony said.  “Set the Legion loose.  People need direct help now.”</p>
<p>“I will,” Pepper said, and Stephen could see her wipe her face in his mind’s eye, put away all her fear and sadness, and set to work.  </p>
<p>“Rhodey?”</p>
<p>“I’m here, Tony.”</p>
<p>“Where—”</p>
<p>“Wakanda,” Rhodey said, his voice revealing his battle-fatigue.  “He was here, Tony.  He went through us like paper, like we were nothing.”</p>
<p>“Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Rhodey said.  “Yeah, <i>I’m</i> fine.  Are you back at the Compound?”</p>
<p>“Landing now,” Nebula said, setting her ship down next to the Quinjet.  </p>
<p>“Is Thor there?” Stephen asked, because Rhodey had been there.  He might know what had happened that changed everything.  </p>
<p>“Thor?” Rhodey asked.  “Yeah, he’s here.  He’s still with us.”</p>
<p>That was one question answered.  Whatever had happened, it wiped Loki from existence but not Thor.  </p>
<p>“Did he fight Thanos on the battlefield?” Stephen asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Rhodey said.  “I was grounded and couldn’t see what happened.”</p>
<p>“But you’re okay?” Tony asked.  “The braces hold up?”</p>
<p>“Of course they did.  You made them.”</p>
<p>“We’ll call again soon,” Stephen said.  “Tony needs medical attention.”</p>
<p>“Medical attention?  Tony, what happened?”</p>
<p>“No idea,” Tony said, and it was the absolute truth.  “May have gotten into a fight with that guy.”</p>
<p>“‘Course you did,” Rhodey said affectionately.  “No wonder he looked so pissed off.”</p>
<p>“He’s in good hands, Rhodey,” Stephen said.  “I’ll get him better.  I promise.”</p>
<p>“He’s in the best hands then.  Look, we’re still trying to find people, but we know not everyone made it.  I didn’t see it happen, but Steve said—”</p>
<p>This was something Stephen hadn’t spared a thought for.  It seemed like so long ago he had been adamant Tony not call Rogers, that someone who had hurt him so badly wasn’t worthy of trust even in an end of the world situation.  </p>
<p>If their forces were half-depleted they might not have a choice.</p>
<p>“What did Steve say?” Tony asked.</p>
<p>“He said Barnes turned to dust right in front of him.”</p>
<p>Tony looked at his hands.  “Yeah…”</p>
<p>“We’ll call you soon, Rhodey,” Stephen said.  “We’ve arrived, and I need to get Tony some help.”</p>
<p>No one greeted them as they set down.  If the Quinjet landed there would be a crew of people to begin maintenance, but now there was no one.  The air here was as eerily quiet as it had been on Titan.  </p>
<p>Stephen and Nebula helped Tony to the elevator and down to med bay.  </p>
<p>Avengers Compound was never buzzing with activity, even when it had housed the Avengers.  But there were engineers on site to work on the jet, a few scientists on Stark Industries’ payroll that worked there in case they were needed, and there was always a medical team present.  </p>
<p>The elevator opened to an empty med bay.  </p>
<p>Friday would have alerted the medical team that Tony was in immediate need, but there was no one there to do triage.  There was always a staff here, at least three or four people.  What were the odds that all of them…</p>
<p>“Friday?” he asked.</p>
<p>“The team <i>was</i> here, Doctor Strange,” she said.  “But they all disappeared, except for one.  What happened?”</p>
<p>“Thanos happened,” Nebula said, walking into the room and not wasting a second.  She raided the supply closets for supplies and who knew what else.  </p>
<p>“Except for one?” Tony asked.  </p>
<p>“Nurse Thomas is hiding in the closet,” Friday said just as Nebula opened a supply closet and found a man inside.  </p>
<p>“I don’t think he’ll be able to help,” Nebula said, but helped Thomas up and out.  The poor man was trembling, his eyes red with tears.  </p>
<p>“Here,” Stephen said, tossing Nebula a blanket to drape over the man who was obviously in shock.   “I need to help Tony.”</p>
<p>“Sit,” Nebula said, putting Thomas on one of the beds.  “Try to breathe.  It won’t be okay, but there’s nothing you can do about it now.”</p>
<p>“Real bedside manner you got there, Nebula,” Tony groaned as he got on one of the beds.</p>
<p>“Better than mine,” Stephen said.</p>
<p>He went through the storage cooler and found blood for Tony and set him up, but his hands shook so much he couldn’t get the needle in.  </p>
<p>“Here,” Nebula said, coming from behind him and inserting the needle correctly on the first try.  Stephen wasn’t surprised—he’d known Nebula through so many lifetimes by now—but Tony didn’t know her at all.  </p>
<p>“Thanks,” he said softly.</p>
<p>She nodded and turned to continue her search for supplies.  “I wasn’t always like this,” she said, her back turned to them and her head in a closet.  </p>
<p>“Neither was I,” Stephen said, waiting until she turned around to show her the massacre of his hands.  She winced at seeing the long, jagged cuts and gave a curt nod.</p>
<p>“Okay, we got blood, Nebula got to rob us blind, so we’re good to go down to my workshop,” Tony said, standing up and rolling his transfusion back to the elevator.  “Should we bring him with us?” he asked, gesturing to Nurse Thomas who looked like he’d passed out from the shock.  </p>
<p>“Let him rest,” Stephen said.  “He’s warm and in the recovery position.  We’ll check in on him later.”</p>
<p>Tony nodded.  “You coming, Nebula or you gonna pry the pipes from the walls for their copper?” </p>
<p>“Not today,” she said.</p>
<p>“Tony, you need to sit down and rest,” Stephen said.  “You were stabbed, and you lost a lot of blood.  It’s a miracle that wound didn’t kill you.”</p>
<p>“No, what I need is to find out what happened,” Tony said, waiting for Nebula—who was carrying a large sack—before he let the elevator door close.  “What I need is to get Peter back and that son of a bitch dead and I’m not resting until I do.”</p>
<p>The doors opened to Tony’s workshop, and it was like the past few days had never happened.  Everything was exactly the same as Stephen remembered it.  Tony immediately went to one of his consoles, grabbed another housing unit of nanoparticles, and pulled up a dozen screens.  </p>
<p>While he worked, Stephen opened a portal to the Sanctum and his heart sank.  The library was empty, but he told himself that meant nothing, Wong obviously wasn’t chained to the library.  He tried the front hall, the kitchen, and then finally the roof.  He breathed a deep sigh of relief when he finally found Wong, but it ended when he realized a helicopter had almost crashed through the building and was only being held up by Wong.  </p>
<p>The blades had stopped turning and the cockpit was empty, but Wong couldn’t risk putting it down and letting it fall through the roof that was already damaged by the Hulk.  With all the unrest the Sanctum would be more vulnerable to attack, and if their forces were depleted by half, it would make them an easy target.  </p>
<p>Stephen checked again that the cockpit was empty and then opened a portal to empty space and let the helicopter fall in.  </p>
<p>Wong spun around, his hands still up and ready to attack when he realized it was Stephen who had come to his aid.  </p>
<p>“My friend,” he said, and wrapped Stephen in a warm embrace.  Stephen was so surprised but fell into the hug gratefully, taking as much comfort as he could without breaking down altogether.  “I was sure you were dead.”</p>
<p>“No, but this is my fault.  All of it,” he said, looking around at the destruction.  “I looked into the future to see which outcome would work out the best,” Stephen said.  “This was the result.”</p>
<p>Wong looked shocked, like Stephen had said something truly terrible.  “The Time Stone cannot be wrong.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Stephen said.  “Which means something else happened.  I just need to figure out what.”</p>
<p>“Stephen!” Tony shouted from the other side of the portal.  </p>
<p>“Stark is alive?  Thank the Vishanti,” Wong muttered.</p>
<p>“Pull every book that even mentions the Time Stone,” Stephen said.  “I don’t know how long I’ll be, but I have to find the answer.  Whatever happened to the Time Stone is the answer to undoing this.”</p>
<p>“Stephen!  Oh, thank God,” Tony breathed, seeing Stephen through the portal with Wong.  “I didn’t know where you were for a second.  I thought—”</p>
<p>Stephen gave Wong another quick hug and ran back to Tony’s workshop, reaching out and holding Tony, telling him through touch that he was okay.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Doc,” Tony said.  “It’s just…I can’t lose you too.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Stephen said, understanding exactly what Tony meant.  “What did you find?”</p>
<p>“Gamma radiation,” Tony said, spinning a hologram around and getting back into research mode.  “That big shiny glove of his gave off a ton of it.”</p>
<p>“All the Infinity Stones working together…yes, I imagine it was quite the sight,” Stephen said.  </p>
<p>“So, he did what?” Tony asked.  “Literally just gathered all the Stones, wished upon a star, and snapped his fingers?  Is that what he did?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Nebula said before Stephen could.  “It’s been his goal as long as I’ve known him.  He’s wanted to end half of all life in the universe.  The Stones gave him the power, and now he’s done it.”</p>
<p>“And what about after?” Stephen asked.  He had never bothered to go past defeat in his visions of the future.  Why bother when it wasn’t the one he needed?  The vision either ended when he died or when Thanos snapped, and then he’d start over.</p>
<p>“The farm,” Nebula said.  “There was a farm he said he’d go to once he was done.”</p>
<p>“Nice,” Tony said, throwing himself into a chair.  “Retirement?  Sounds great.  What do you do after you’ve committed genocide?  Grow some tomatoes?  Sounds like a great plan.”</p>
<p>“We need to find out exactly what happened in Wakanda,” Stephen said.  “Maybe call King T’Challa?  He would have had eyes on the ground.”</p>
<p>Tony tapped his fingers against the console.  “Yeah, but he wouldn’t have seen everything.  He would have been busy fighting Thanos, protecting his people.  He might not have seen Thanos snap his fingers.”</p>
<p>“All the Avengers would have been present,” Stephen said.  “I told you, they all fought him one-on-one to stop him from getting to the Vision.”</p>
<p>“Everyone?” Tony asked, his hands hovering over an hourglass symbol on the console.  </p>
<p>Stephen knew Tony hadn’t spoken to Natasha since the fall out of the Civil War.  The cut might not have been as deep as Rogers’ but Tony had still been hurt.  Stephen wished he didn’t have to make that call, but it was extremely likely that Natasha would know what had happened, what deviation had occurred that would help Stephen pinpoint where everything had gone wrong.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Tony said, then pressed the button.</p>
<p>Natasha's face popped up on screen a few seconds later.  </p>
<p>“Tony,” she said like she was relieved to see him.  “Thank God.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m glad to see you, too,” he said, his fingers still tapping.  “Really.  Not sure how I feel about the hair.”</p>
<p>“Rhodey’s okay,” she said, knowing that Tony would want to know that first.  “What about—-”</p>
<p>“Pepper’s still here,” he said, looking down to his hands.  “Happy’s gone.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” she breathed.  Stephen had had little interaction with Natasha when looking through the timelines, but from what Tony had told him she actually looked shaken.  “Tony, we’re not sure how many we’ve lost, but we can’t find a lot of people.”</p>
<p>“About half?” Tony asked.  She didn’t seem surprised he knew.  “Turned to dust right in front of you?”</p>
<p>She nodded.  </p>
<p>“Thor is alive?” Stephen asked, wanting confirmation.  </p>
<p>Natasha looked past Tony to Stephen.  She didn’t bother pretending she didn’t know who Stephen was.  He’d been seen around New York with Tony enough for the past two years, of course she knew him.  And now was no time for spy games.  </p>
<p>“Yes.  We can’t find Sam.  Or Wanda.  And the Vision is dead.  Thanos took the stone right out of his head.”</p>
<p>Tony made the smallest groan and buried his face in his hands.  He’d heard the news from Stephen, but hearing it from someone who saw it was different.  Stephen laid a trembling hand on Tony’s shoulder, the only real comfort he was able to give just now.</p>
<p>“What happened to Thor?  What stopped him from killing Thanos?” Stephen asked.</p>
<p>Natasha shook her head.  “He tried.  I was buried in this pile of rocks, but I saw Thor throw his axe right into Thanos’ chest.”</p>
<p>
  <i>Wait.  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>No.</i>
</p>
<p>“His chest?  Not his head?” Stephen asked.  </p>
<p>Natasha nodded.</p>
<p>“You’re absolutely sure?”<br/>
“Yes,” she said.</p>
<p>“Then what happened?” </p>
<p>Her lip quivered just the smallest amount.  “Then he snapped his fingers, and people started turning to ash.”</p>
<p>“So that’s it?” Tony asked.  “Thor blew it?  Went for the body shot, not the head?  That’s what happened?”</p>
<p>“So it seems, but why?” Stephen asked.  </p>
<p>“Natasha, come back to the Compound,” Tony said.  “We need to figure out our next move.  I don’t think anyone is going to care that you’re back what with everything else going on.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, Tony,” she said.  “We’ll leave soon, but…King T’Challa is one of the disappeared and his sister.  We need to make sure everything here is stable before we can leave.”</p>
<p>Tony barked out a laugh.  “Stable?  Then buckle up, buttercup.  I’ll see you next year.”</p>
<p>“Tony…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, okay,” he finally said.  “Just get here as soon as you can.”</p>
<p>“I will.  We’ll figure this out together,” she said and then cut the communication.</p>
<p>“You know she’ll be bringing Rogers with her,” Stephen said.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Tony replied.  “Can’t really be picky about allies when half of them are gone though.  I’m gonna try to track that gamma radiation see if I can—”</p>
<p>A deep pain slashed through Stephen’s chest, just behind his heart.  He gasped and fell to his knees, his hands cupping the wound as the pain burned through him.  </p>
<p>“Doc?  Stephen!” Tony shouted though Stephen could barely hear him over the pain, dropping to his knees and running his hands over Stephen’s body. </p>
<p>“Is he injured?” Nebula asked, her voice sounding distant.  “I brought more blood.”</p>
<p>Their voices reached him through a fog of pain, his chest heaving in and out as he tried to breathe while it rolled over him.  It felt as though his heart was being cut out of his chest.  The pain intensified for another moment—ripping, tearing, searing—before it left abruptly, like something was severed.  </p>
<p>He gasped and leaned against Tony, his heart beating wildly but still beating.</p>
<p>“Stephen, what happened?” Tony asked, frantically running his hands over his tunic.  “Did he get you, too?”  </p>
<p>“No,” Stephen said, his own hands roaming over his heart to make sure of what he already knew.  There was no physical damage, but he felt empty in a way he couldn’t qualify.  Like something had been removed from him.  </p>
<p>Tony’s console beeped again and a hologram popped up.</p>
<p>“What is that?” Stephen asked.</p>
<p>“Gamma radiation,” Tony said, looking at the readings.  “Another huge burst.  Just as big as the last one.”</p>
<p>“He used the stones again,” Stephen said.</p>
<p>“I can’t think of anything else he would use them for,” Nebula said.  “All he ever wanted was this.”</p>
<p>“Well, at least now we know where he is,” Tony said.  “Here’s his farm.”  He created another hologram that showed a solar system some distance from theirs and blew up an image of a planet.  “Now we just need to get there.” </p>
<p>“Boss,” Friday said.  “I’m getting some really strange readings here.”</p>
<p>“Friday?  What’s happening?”  </p>
<p>“I’m not sure, but it’s nothing I’ve ever seen before.  It’s almost as though—” </p>
<p>Friday cut off abruptly and the lights in the workshop began to fade.  The emptiness Stephen felt behind his heart felt cold and spread from his chest to his arms and legs, then the tips of his fingers and toes.  Without thought, Stephen reached out and found Tony’s hand seeking his.  The room around them wasn’t just growing dark.  Everything around them was <i>fading away</i>.</p>
<p>His heart sank in his chest and a cold sweat broke out over his entire body before he realized the cold he felt had faded and left only a numbness.  Without another thought, he opened a portal to the roof where they’d left Nebula’s ship.</p>
<p>Everything around them was grey and fading.  The light from the sun, the very air around them grew darker.  Even the light from Tony’s housing unit faded until all Stephen could see was the fear in Tony's eyes.</p>
<p>Then that faded as well.  </p>
<p>He held onto Tony’s hand, his eyes only on him, until he couldn’t feel Tony’s hand anymore, couldn’t feel his own hand anymore.  His last breath was staggered, his heart stopped beating, and he felt death all around him.  Inside him.  </p>
<p>Or not death at all.</p>
<p>He’d died thousands of times.  He knew what death felt like.  This wasn’t death, this was simply the absence of life.  Every part of him was fading into nothingness when he heard a voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>
    <b>Stephen Strange</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He gasped in a breath of cold air, his heart beating in his chest once more, his hand materializing once again, still wrapped firmly around Tony’s.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Get up.  There is work to be done.</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stephen’s eyes snapped open at the command.  He was floating in empty space with Tony at his side.  There was a complete absence of stars.   There was nothing in front of him, and yet he could sense the absolute <i>endlessness</i> all around him.  Out of the nothing, a door appeared and swung open in front of them.  </p>
<p>Inside there appeared to be nothing, as though the door led to nowhere, but then Stephen could <i>see</i>.</p>
<p>The doorway was full of stars.  Full of life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <i>
    <b>Come.  There is much to do and little time.</b>
  </i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The stargate opened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is one of the scenes I first thought of when I was thinking up the plot of this fic.  I hope that last part was as heavy as I wanted it to be.  Please let me know your thoughts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p>
<p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Through the Stargate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alternate chapter title:  Because <i>Back to the Future</i> rules apply?!</p><p>This is heavy, doc.</p><p>Thank you to silent_serendipity and foxglove fiction for beta reading and hand holding.  Thank you thank you. </p><p>So a few months ago when I was finishing up Alpha Syndrome, I got the idea for this chapter in my head, and the story kinda formed around it.  I hope you like the explanation of what happened, and that it does not disappoint.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The stargate closed.</p><p> </p><p>He was in a dark room.</p><p>No.  Not a room.  He forced his eyes wide open and tried to reason with his spatial awareness, but he couldn’t tell if he was still at the Compound or even still on Earth.  The darkness was all around him, heavy and vast in a way he’d never experienced.  It wasn’t just the absence of light, it was the absence of anything at all.</p><p>He looked ahead and saw infinity.  </p><p>His entire body was clenched like a fist.  Stephen logically knew any time he looked into space he was staring into endlessness, or as close as it came.  But the view before him now was different.  The nothingness he stared into stared back.</p><p>He shivered and snapped his eyes closed.</p><p>It was easier to think if he closed his eyes.  If he closed his eyes he could take stock of himself, could try to apply reason to what had just happened.  He didn’t know where he had gone or what had happened, but he was himself.  He slowly began to mutter the elements in order of the Periodic Table, then the spells he had learned starting from the first.</p><p>He still had a physical body.  He could hear his own voice and welcomed the pain in his hands like it was an old friend.  He tried turning his head up and then down, but all he could see was the same infinite darkness.  </p><p>His hand clutched around something solid but trembling.  </p><p>
  <i>Tony</i>
</p><p>Through whatever had just happened, he’d never let go of Tony.  Wherever they were, they were together.  Stephen only prayed he hadn’t doomed Tony to a worse fate than whatever had happened on Earth.  </p><p>And that wherever they were, they’d be able to get back.    </p><p>He had no idea where he was.</p><p>He turned to face Tony, to take some comfort even if Tony was just as petrified as he was, but he couldn’t see a thing.  He knew Tony was there, but there was no light, not even from some distant star to illuminate him, not even from the nanoparticles on his chest.  </p><p>There was something else missing, something that felt wrong.  A terrible thought occurred to him, and he ran his fingers over Tony’s hands, feeling around for the callouses and little scars he’d seen a thousand times.  </p><p>He found every one of them and breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>“Tony?” he whispered, his voice sounding flat, like even the air around them was dead.  </p><p>“Stephen…” Tony whispered next to him.  “Why is it so dark?”</p><p>He was about to respond when a deep, booming voice said, “In the end, it is always dark.”</p><p>The blue of Tony’s nanoparticles lit up like a beacon, and Stephen found himself turning to it like a moth to a flame.  He took a deep breath and realized what had felt so odd as sound began to carry again.  Tony’s breaths were shallow but at least he could hear them and his own heart, beating wildly.</p><p>“Doc…” Tony breathed, his eyes focused on something behind Stephen.  </p><p>Light shined from behind him, the reflection mirrored in Tony’s eyes.  Even the Cloak shivered once, then stayed still as though it was as petrified in fear as Stephen was.  </p><p>Slowly, he turned and saw six orbs of light hovering in a semi-circle around them.  The lights were dim at first, but grew brighter and more substantial as the moments crawled on.  Untethered and terrified, Stephen tried to make sense of what he was seeing.</p><p>Or he tried to while Tony tried his best to wrap himself around Stephen, his hands grabbing at his body like claws, trying to push Stephen behind him.  His desire to protect Stephen lasted even here, wherever they were, surrounded by eternity.  And in all his panic, Tony never once touched his hands.  </p><p>He’d faced Dormammu with a half-baked plan and Thanos with undeserved certainty, but standing before these entities left Stephen humbled.  And as the lights took on color, he was almost tempted to kneel.</p><p>He was in the presence of beings as old as the universe.  </p><p>“Stephen…” Tony whispered in his ear, his voice steady but his hands still gripped around Stephen’s shoulders, “what are they?”</p><p>“The Infinity Stones,” Stephen whispered back.  “Or their essence?  Their consciousness?”</p><p>“An echo,” a voice said, loud and booming.  Red light flickered just the smallest amount when it spoke.  Reality.  “We are only an echo of what we once were, and we are fading quickly.  We do not have time to assuage your delicate minds.  We have called you here for a reason, Stephen Strange.”</p><p>They knew his name.  Briefly he wondered if he was important enough for building blocks of creation to know him or if their knowledge came from the Time Stone. </p><p>“Okay, first of all, where are we?” Tony asked, with far more confidence than he felt.  The little shadow in the corner of Stephen’s mind was shaking in its boots, but Tony stood among these eternal beings without showing an ounce of fear.  “Last thing I knew, we were standing on the roof of the Compound and the lights started going out.  Or…maybe not going out so much as…”</p><p>“Fading from existence,” Stephen said.  </p><p>“<i>Where are you?</i>” the Space Stone asked, its tone dripping with disdain.  “Where is the universe?</p><p>“You are nowhere,” the Space Stone said.  “This place exists outside of time and space.  You believe you are looking into the vastness of eternity.  You are looking into <i>nothing</i>.  We called you here as the universe was fading with the last of our power.  You are the only living stone keeper who was bonded to his stone.”</p><p><i>Bonded</i>.</p><p>That word laid heavy in between them, Stephen’s past sins laid bare for all to see.  Had he bonded himself to the Time Stone on that fateful day when he’d saved Tony?  He had communicated with it, told it that Tony was an important man and that it was in the best interest of the universe if it helped to save him.  All that had been true, but Stephen had acted on selfish impulse.  He didn’t want to live in a world where there was no Tony Stark.</p><p>But in all his shock around his bond with Tony had he completely missed bonding with the Time Stone?  The vision he saw that day he’d met Tony at the Compound, and again when they’d crashed on Titan…</p><p>He thought of the pain in his chest.  The pain he’d felt in Tony’s workshop, as though something had been torn from him, as though he’d lost something in the worst of ways.</p><p>He looked to the silent green light hovering in front of him.  The Time Stone was his responsibility.  If Thanos used it to end the universe the burden would fall to Stephen.  He had always taken the utmost care of it, understanding exactly what it was he was carrying around his neck.  </p><p>Looking at the green light now, Stephen felt insignificant.  How many stone keepers had cared for it over the millennia?  How many of them would have done a better job of keeping it from harm than Stephen? </p><p>The Time Stone’s green light flickered once, silent.  And though it did not have eyes it seemed as though it was looking at Stephen.  </p><p>“Thanos destroyed the universe?” Tony asked softly. “Did that idiot realize he lives in the universe?  I thought he wanted to kill half of all life, not everything.  Did he decide to level up?”</p><p>“Thanos of Titan was a fool,” the Power Stone said.  “He sought the ultimate power of the universe and used us in his murderous plot to destroy half of all life.  He went against the natural order: everything that lives will die in its own time.  From the smallest bacterium to the largest star.  He was so convinced that he was acting as a being of divine benevolence he decided to use us to destroy ourselves in order to stop anyone from undoing what he had done.”</p><p>“No,” Stephen gasped.  The pain he’d felt in Tony’s workshop was the Time Stone being destroyed, its bond to Stephen being ripped from him.  The universe could not exist without the Infinity Stones.  How could Thanos have spent his extremely long life searching for the stones without knowing that?  “How?” he asked.</p><p>“The same way he ended half of all life,” the Reality Stone said.  “With a snap of his fingers.  As we faded from existence, we pulled you here in hopes you’ll be able to undo what the Mad Titan has done.”  </p><p>“Okay, timeout,” Tony said, making his hands into a t.  “You need Stephen to help save the universe, great.  Couldn’t find a better man for the job.  But we have questions.”</p><p>“We have no time for your questions, Tony Stark,” the Soul Stone said.  “Our time here is short, and our powers are fading.  We must attend to more urgent business than you understanding what happened right in front of you.”</p><p>The bravado Tony had managed to show to the Infinity Stones faded, his face falling as he took a step back towards Stephen.  “You know me?” he asked, then turned to Stephen.  “I know I should feel flattered when aliens know me, but it’s really creepy.”</p><p>The Soul Stone made a noise that sounded like a scoff.  “I know every soul that has ever existed.  You are not special.”</p><p>“But he is,” the Mind Stone said.  “This man created a protection that even I could not penetrate.”</p><p>“You are biased,” the Soul Stone said. </p><p>“Perhaps,” the Mind Stone said, then seemed to turn its attention to Tony.  “You were the creator of my Stone Keeper.  He had many complicated feelings towards you, Stark.  I have had many Stone Keepers over the course of my existence, but the Vision was my favorite.”</p><p>Tony’s face twisted in grief.  “Yeah, it was…complicated.  To say the least.  But he was my favorite too.”</p><p>“We are wasting time,” the Power Stone said.  “The universe is at an end.  We need you to go back in time and fix what Thanos destroyed.”</p><p>“Tony is right,” Stephen said.  “If I don’t know what Thanos did to cause all this I won’t know how to fix it.”</p><p>“It happened fast,” Tony said.  “One minute Loki was there, one minute he was gone.  And not in the—the way everyone else was gone.” </p><p>“That’s right,” Stephen said.  “Loki didn’t turn to ash like the others.  He faded away.”</p><p>“And it wasn’t only his body,” Tony said.  “None of the others remembered him.  Only me and Stephen.”</p><p>“Thanos did exactly what you did, Stephen Strange,” the Reality Stone said.  “He used the Time Stone and looked forward in time and saw his death at the hands of Thor Odinson.”</p><p>“Oh,” Stephen said, thinking and of course he did.  “But why wouldn’t I have seen it?”</p><p>The Reality Stone flickered, like it was almost hesitant to speak, then said, “Because the moment Thanos used the Time Stone to look ahead existed outside of the normal flow of time.  It could not show you that timeline because it did not exist.”</p><p>Everything was always so complicated when dealing with time travel, but Stephen thought he understood.  “So when I looked ahead and saw all the possible futures, I would never have seen the future where Thanos won because he was outside of the normal flow of time?”</p><p>“That…makes absolutely no sense,” Tony said.  “That’s not how time travel theory works at all.”</p><p>“You’re thinking of the Stones incorrectly, Tony,” Stephen said. </p><p>“What, I’m not thinking fourth dimensionally?” Tony mocked, then turned to the Stones.  “So Thanos sees Thor kill him and uses the Time Stone to go do what?”</p><p>“Kill Loki Odinson,” the Space Stone said.  “He used the Time Stone to briefly travel back in time to instruct his past self to kill Loki Odinson aboard his ship, when they stole me from him.”</p><p>“Loki was a Stone Keeper,” Stephen realized.  “Was he bonded to you?” he asked the Space Stone. </p><p>Blue light flared at the question, the light momentarily blinding them, almost as though the question itself was an outrage.  The darkness of the paused moment they were in shrank around them, the very air shaking.  </p><p>“Oh, you made the blinky light mad, Doc,” Tony whispered.</p><p>“I apologize,” Stephen said, realizing he may have been extremely rude in asking that question, but he’d never had a guide for etiquette when dealing with the building blocks of the universe.  “Please forgive me, I meant no disrespect.”</p><p>“The Space Stone’s Stone Keeper was murdered by Thanos of Titan aboard his ship,” the Reality Stone said.  “In doing this, Thanos made it so Thor Odinson wouldn’t strike to kill on Earth.  He struck to maim, trying to cause as much pain as possible before he killed.  In the time it took for Thor to relish his victory, Thanos destroyed half of all life in the universe.”</p><p>“Okay, no,” Tony said, shaking his head.  “That’s not how time travel works.  If you travel to the past, that past becomes your future and your former present becomes the past, which can’t now be changed by your new future!</p><p>“All Thanos would have done is create a new reality,” Tony said, waving his arms around.  “Multiverse theory.  By going back in time to change the past, all he would have done is create a new reality where he killed Loki but wouldn’t have changed our reality!”</p><p>Stephen put his face in his hands and hissed through his fingers, “Did you just mansplain time travel to the Infinity Stones?”</p><p>“I—” Tony said as he realized that yes he had just tried to explain time travel to the building blocks of the universe, including the Time Stone.  “I just want to understand.”</p><p>“Here,” Stephen said, before the Infinity Stones used whatever power they had left and zapped Tony out of existence.  “Imagine this is time,” he said, drawing a line in the air.  “Here’s where we fought Thanos on Titan.”  He drew an x on one point in the line.  “And here,” he said, drawing a line from the x upward, “is where Thanos looked through time and ultimately went back and changed it.”  From the diagonal line, he drew another line shooting straight from it.  “We’re on a different timeline than we were before.  The only reality I saw was the real timeline.  There would have been no way the Time Stone could have seen it.  From this point,” he said, pointing to the x, “the future I saw no longer existed.”</p><p>The green light of the Time Stone flickered again and Stephen felt his heart sink, unsure of himself in a way he hadn’t been in a long time.</p><p>When he finally looked away, Tony looked like he was about to commit murder. </p><p>“So…<i>Back to the Future</i> rules?  You’re telling me that science has it all wrong and <i>Back to the Future</i> rules are real?”</p><p>“Oh,” Stephen said, thinking back to the movie.  “I suppose so, yes.  I wonder if Zemeckis was a sorcerer.  He was completely right.”</p><p>Tony looked like he was about to have an aneurysm.</p><p>“Yeah, okay,” Stephen said.  The Infinity Stones were literally just disembodied beings of light and yet he could <i>feel</i> their stare and their desire for them to just get on with it.  “Is it more clear now?”</p><p>His face buried in his hands, Tony nodded his head.  “Yeah, sure, okay.  This might as well happen.  Fine, here’s what I don’t get.  Why not just kill Thor?  You kill Thor, you remove him from the equation completely and then you take control of the entire battle.”</p><p>“He wouldn’t have wanted to change too much, Tony,” Stephen said, his mind spinning by how fine an edge Thanos had walked and still managed to succeed.  “He changes too much and he would risk not acquiring the Stones he’d managed to find.  And killing Thor would have taken the Guardians out of the picture.”</p><p>Tony had no idea how the Guardians had played right into Thanos’ hands by taking Gamora to Knowhere.  Stephen only knew because of the time he’d spent with Nebula, asking every question he could think of in his quest to find the best timeline.  Thanos’ plans would have been derailed had he had to scour the universe for Gamora.  </p><p>“The Guardians only knew Thanos was moving to take the Infinity Stones because Thor and Loki told them so,” Stephen said.  “If Thanos killed both of them, there would have been no one to tell Gamora to seek the Reality Stone.  Thanos wouldn’t have taken Gamora to Vormir, and wouldn’t have acquired the Soul Stone.”</p><p>“Who is this human?” the Power Stone asked, its voice somehow dripping with disdain.  “Why is he here?  We do not need him.”</p><p>“Tony Stark,” said the Soul Stone.  “You know how I despise repeating myself.”</p><p>“Yes, but why is he here?” Power asked.</p><p>“He is the bonded of my bonded.  And yes, we absolutely do need him,” the Time Stone said, speaking for the first time.  And in its statement, revealing all of what Stephen had wanted to keep hidden from Tony.  </p><p>His eyes closed of their own volition, shame welling up inside of him, burning from the inside out.  </p><p>“Doc,” Tony whispered, his hands finding Stephen’s.  “What’s going on?  What did the big scary light just say?  What does ‘the bonded of my bonded’ mean?”</p><p>Stephen opened his mouth to say something—anything—but nothing came out.  He felt like he’d been punched in the gut, like what he’d done was out on display for the universe to see and judge.</p><p>He looked away, not able to look Tony in the eye.</p><p>“You asked why you were the only ones who remembered Loki Odinson being present on Titan,” the Mind Stone said.  “Stephen Strange remembers because the Time Stone remembers, and he is bonded to the Time Stone.  You remember because you are bonded to Stephen Strange.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s what he was really asking,” the Soul Stone said.  “Humans are often unclear in their communications.”</p><p>“Indeed,” said the Time Stone.  “And Tony did not know he was bonded to Stephen.”</p><p>“How could he not know?” the Mind Stone asked.</p><p>“He is very stupid, in some ways,” the Time Stone said.  “But my bonded loves him regardless.”</p><p>Were it not impossible to destroy the Infinity Stones without destroying the entire universe, Stephen would have used his last ounce of energy to wipe them from the face of existence.  All his efforts to keep his sins a secret were erased.  He’d told himself that he didn’t want to be a burden to Tony, that he’d keep what he had done a secret to spare him.  </p><p>Tony must have suspected, but he never said a word about it.  It was only recently that he thought Tony must have known.  Now, any chance Stephen had of keeping him out of this was gone.</p><p>And to make it worse, now Tony knew that he loved him.</p><p>“Doc…”  Tony whispered, giving Stephen’s hands a gentle squeeze.  “Hey, look at me.”</p><p>He hadn’t realized he’d closed his eyes and lowered his head.  Anything to keep from seeing the look of betrayal in Tony’s eyes.  He shook his head, brave in the face of death, the face of Thanos, of the building blocks of the universe, but not to Tony Stark’s anger.  Or worse, his pity.  </p><p>“Stephen,” Tony said, finally taking his chin in hand and tilting his head up.  “Please open your eyes.”</p><p>Stephen opened them to find some unreadable look on Tony’s face.  There was something earnest there, something caring, but he had no idea what it was.  He didn’t dare to hope it was love.  The best he could do now was explain why he had done what he had done and hope Tony didn’t hate him.</p><p>“When I brought you back from Siberia,” Stephen whispered, “you were dying.  You did die.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony said, nodding.  “You told me.  The surgeon said you did something to bring me back.”</p><p>Stephen nodded.  “There was a spell.  A battlefield spell that would link our souls.  I would loan you my own strength to heal you and keep you from dying.  I used the Time Stone as my relic, an anchor to draw strength from.  It was supposed to be a temporary spell but…”</p><p>“I can feel you,” Tony said, putting Stephen’s hand over his heart.  “Not all the time, but it’s there.  That’s how I know when you’re having a bad day or your hands are hurting.  Or when you’re sad.  At first I just thought it was intuition.  But now…”</p><p>“It was supposed to be temporary, I swear it,” Stephen pleaded, begging Tony to believe him.  “I would have never bonded my soul to yours if I knew it would be permanent.”</p><p>“You saved my life, Doc.  How could I ever blame you, even if it wasn’t temporary?  But let’s focus on the other thing—”</p><p>“But it was temporary,” Stephen insisted.  “It should have been only…”</p><p>“Only what?”</p><p>The Infinity Stones were oddly silent, watching them as the two humans sorted out their unimportant feelings that couldn’t possibly mean a thing to the universe.  </p><p>Unless it did.  </p><p>Stephen looked to the Time Stone, floating there and softly blinking, communicating in a way that said ‘if you don’t tell him, I will.’</p><p>“The stronger the feelings of the caster, the stronger the bond,” Stephen said, like the words were torn from him.  “My feelings for you are…vast.  A temporary bond became permanent.  The Time Stone was witness to all that.  That’s how you’re here.  That’s why you remembered Loki, that’s why you know when I’m having a strong emotion.  It’s because of my feelings for you.</p><p>“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel an obligation,” Stephen said, rambling on because the moment he stopped talking Tony would let him down gently and he didn't think he could take it.  “And, selfishly, I didn’t want to stop being your friend.  I treasure our friendship so much, it would kill me to lose it.  And Peter, Tony you brought Peter into my life.  I would never—”</p><p>Stephen stopped talking as Tony leaned in to kiss him, silencing him in the best of ways.  It was just a press of lips, but Stephen felt his heart surge, felt a shock that went down to his toes.  </p><p>Tony wrapped his arms around Stephen, pulled back, and whispered, “I love you, too.”</p><p>Soft brown eyes met Stephen’s and it was all he could do to not melt into Tony, even now at the end of the world.  In all his wildest dreams he’d never dared to hope that Tony could love him back.  But here they were, in the pause between the last breath of the universe, and Stephen felt the shadow behind his heart overwhelmed.  </p><p>He wrapped his arms around Tony and held on.</p><p>“You’re absolutely certain we have to witness this in order for the plan to work?” the Power Stone asked.</p><p>“Yes,” the Soul Stone said.  “Humans are stronger when they are together.”</p><p>“Stephen is a good man,” the Time Stone said.  “He has suffered enough.  It’s time that he won.”</p><p>“It matters not what kind of man he is,” the Soul Stone said, “only that he can get the job done.”</p><p>“There is no one better,” the Time Stone said.</p><p>All Stephen wanted was to steal Tony away for a few moments.  He needed time to talk, time to kiss, time to confirm what Tony’s heart was now telling him.  That he loved a man and was loved in return.  </p><p>“Doc,” Tony whispered, “we’re going to live through this.  We’re going to get Peter back, get the universe back, and then we’ll have time.  I promise, we’ll have all the time in the world.”</p><p>Stephen closed his eyes before he finally let go of Tony.</p><p>The universe was ending, and there was work to be done.  </p><p>“What should I do?” he asked, his arm still wrapped around Tony.  “If this is the end, what can be done to stop it?”</p><p>“We did not call you here for nothing, Stephen Strange,” the Power Stone said.  “We are each prepared to give you a boon, the last of our powers in hope that you can undo what the Mad Titan has done.”</p><p>“So, we go back to Titan?” Tony asked.  “Somehow stop Stephen from giving Thanos the stone?  Or before that?  Stop Thanos from being born?  How far back are we talking?”</p><p>“We are <i>fading</i>, Tony Stark,” the Mind Stone said.  “There are limits to our powers, now at the end.  You will have only one boon from each of us, and you must use it wisely.”</p><p>“But how?  What is the best way to defeat him?” Stephen asked.  “I cheated before, by using the Time Stone and looking ahead.  What is the best way to end Thanos now?”</p><p>“I can only send you back a few days,” the Time Stone said.  “There is much you can change, but—as you said—if we change too much we risk unknown variables.  In normal circumstances, I would see all but…”</p><p>“But you’re fading,” Stephen said and clutched at where he’d felt the pain tear through his chest.  “You’re certain you can’t look ahead?  Maybe I could help?”</p><p>The Time Stone was silent for a moment, then it asked, “Are you still bargaining, Stephen?”</p><p>The word greeted him like a slap in the face, and he remembered exactly how much he and the Time Stone had gone through together. </p><p>“The timeline you chose on Titan was the correct one, Strange,” the Reality Stone said.  “You must go back to the moment Thanos interfered but the task you must complete is on a narrow edge.  Stray even a little and you will fall.”</p><p>“So we stop him from killing Loki?” Tony asked.</p><p>The Space Stone glowed more brightly.  “Yes, but he must believe he was successful and that his past self will kill Loki Odinson or he will never return to Earth.”</p><p>“Right, like how Biff had to give the almanac to his past self or he’d never return the Delorean to the future,” Tony said, putting his forehead on Stephen’s shoulder.  “Because <i>Back to the Future</i> got it right.”</p><p>“You will be sent to the Statesman, the ship where Thor and Loki Odinson met the Mad Titan.  You will save Loki but convince Thanos that he did indeed kill him.  Thanos will then leave the Statesman with the Space Stone, believing he was successful.  The rest of the original timeline will fall into place,” the Reality Stone said.  </p><p>Stephen sorted through every spell he knew, but there was nothing that would create a body so substantive that it would fool Thanos that it was really Loki.  And that was to say nothing of fooling Ebony Maw.  “And how will I do that?”</p><p>“As we said, we will each give you a boon,” the Time Stone said.  “I will send you back in time to the moment before Thanos communicates to his past self.”</p><p>“I will move you through space and place you safely aboard the Statesman,” the Space Stone said.</p><p>“I will create a double of Loki Odinson,” the Reality Stone said.  From the bright red light came a small stone, no larger than a pebble.  It floated out and landed in Stephen’s hand.  “The Odinson will need to control it, but it will sound and feel like him, even to a magic user.”</p><p>“I will shield your minds from Ebony Maw,” the Mind Stone said.  “Be more wary of him than anyone else on that ship, even the Mad Titan himself.” </p><p>“Yeah, we had a run-in with that guy already,” Tony said.  “Kinda mad we have to face him again, but whatever, will avoid at all costs.”</p><p>“I will use the last of my power and lend it to the others,” the Power Stone said, “amplifying their power and making sure this will work.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Stephen said.  “Thank you all.”</p><p>“Hang on there, Dorothy,” Tony said, pointing to the Soul Stone.  “The wizard has one more gift to give, and something’s telling me they’re saving the biggest for last.”</p><p>The Soul Stone floated silently in front of them, giving nothing away.  They had said they all had a boon to give, but Stephen thought five out of six wasn’t anything to complain about.  And what sort of gift could the Soul Stone give them?</p><p>“People are stronger when they are together,” the Soul Stone said.</p><p>“And what do you know of people?” Stephen asked before he could control himself.  “It took me a while, but I figured out what Thanos did to Gamora on Vormir.  No other stone requires a sacrifice to use it, so why do you?”</p><p>“Because no other stone can be used to disfigure the soul!” the Soul Stone shouted.  “And most people are not willing to sacrifice who they love most to keep me.  And those who are have paid the worst consequences.”</p><p>Stephen was silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.  </p><p>“People are stronger when they are together,” the Soul Stone said again.  “And so I offer to strengthen the bond between you.”</p><p>“What?” Stephen asked.  </p><p>“What does that mean?” Tony asked.  “What do we have now?”</p><p>“The shadow of a proper bond,” the Soul Stone said.  “A temporary bond made permanent but nowhere near as strong as a true bond.  A true bond would allow you to share power, would let you know each other’s hearts, and would link your souls together in this life and the next.  It would make you a force to be reckoned with.”</p><p>“So…if our souls are linked I’d be able to do what he did?  If he was hurt, I’d be able to lend him my strength to save him?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Tony, you’re not—”</p><p>“Yes,” the Soul Stone said.  </p><p>“Yeah, okay I’m in,” Tony said, turning to Stephen.  “If you’re in.  Because I gotta tell you, Doc, the idea of being able to save you when you’re in self-sacrificing mode sounds really good right now.”</p><p>“Tony,” Stephen sighed, knowing exactly where Tony was coming from but also that he couldn’t go through with it.  “This isn’t just for right now.  If we survive this, it’ll be forever.  You can’t possibly want that.”</p><p>Slowly, Tony leaned in and kissed Stephen.  Where before his kiss was soft and tender, now it was passionate, leaning into Stephen and putting all the love he had into every caress.  Stephen melted but still managed to pull away.</p><p>“Forever is a long time,” he whispered.</p><p>Tony reached out and held his hands.  “Just long enough,” he said.  “The last two years have been the best of my life.  That’s because of you, Stephen.  You can’t blame me for wanting it always.  Are you sure you want to be bonded to me?”</p><p>Stephen leaned back and smiled.  “Always.  But I think you’re getting the short end of the stick.”  </p><p>“No short jokes at the end of the world,” Tony said, standing on his toes.  “You’re everything to me, Stephen.”</p><p>Stephen smiled, not entirely certain Tony wouldn’t regret this, but knowing that if the Soul Stone offered a gift he should accept.  He turned to the Soul Stone and said, “We accept your boon.”</p><p>Without another word, bright orange light wrapped all around them, penetrating them.  The little shadow behind his heart flickered once, twice, before it grew and the subtle feeling of Tony became substantial, as though he could reach into his chest and touch the connection between them.</p><p>For a moment it was as though their souls overlapped as one, like Stephen could feel everything Tony felt just for a moment.  Everything all at once, his fear, his grief, but also his love.  </p><p>Tony was touching his soul.</p><p>There could be no more doubt.  Tony did love him, completely and deeply.  The light faded, but the bond between them remained.  A real, solid thing, almost tangible where before it had only been a shadow.</p><p>And the empty spot—the piece of the Time Stone that had been viciously torn from him—was filled again.  He was whole, in more ways than he’d ever been.</p><p>“Holy shit,” Tony breathed, a smile on his face as he looked back at Stephen.  “That was a trip,” he said, rubbing his chest.  “I can feel you, Doc.  Can you feel me?”</p><p>Stephen nodded, amazed.</p><p>“Okay,” Tony said.  “We can do this.  I know we can.”</p><p>“And you will,” the Time Stone said.  “Only one last thing remains.”</p><p>“But you’ve already given your boon,” Stephen said.  </p><p>“Allow me to give one more,” the Time Stone said.  A small green stone, no larger than a pebble floated towards Stephen.  “Once you’re aboard the Statesman there will be one pod left.  Use it and make your way to Titan after you’ve saved Loki.  Wait until your other self has looked forward into the future and then reveal yourselves.  He will see what has happened.</p><p>“He must not give me to Thanos,” the Time Stone said.  “Thor will kill Thanos on Earth, but we must not allow him the chance of destroying the world before Stormbreaker flies.  Under no circumstances can he leave Titan with me. Instead give him this.”</p><p>“A piece of you?” Stephen asked, taking the pebble.</p><p>“My very last breath,” the Time Stone said.  “When he uses it to see ahead he will exhaust its power.  If Thor is delayed in any way and Thanos tries to snap half of the universe out of existence it will not work.  The power will be gone from it.”</p><p>“You realize <i>Back to the Future</i> rules say we can’t interact with our other selves or risk a paradox that could destroy the universe,” Tony said with a raised hand.  </p><p>In the awkward silence that followed, Stephen felt a fear that was not his own.  Tony wasn’t as terrified as he had been when they’d first arrived here, but now he felt worried that his smart mouth would get him into trouble.  </p><p>
  <i>You will know each other's hearts.</i>
</p><p>Instead of letting his own sarcasm loose, Stephen held Tony’s hand, letting him know it would be okay. </p><p>“What is this human talking about?” the Power Stone asked. </p><p>“Tony Stark,” the Mind Stone said.  “And I have no idea.  You must interact with your past selves on Titan.  Give Thanos the Time Stone’s last remnant and let him leave.  Get him to Earth as quickly as possible and let Thor Odinson do the rest.”</p><p>“We will,” Stephen said, his hand shaking in Tony’s.  “Thank you.”</p><p>“For what?” the Soul Stone asked.  “Saving ourselves?  If you fail the universe will end and we will cease to exist.  Go and do not fail.”</p><p>The urgency of the moment spoke to him, but Stephen forced himself to look one last time at this place, memorizing it in his mind’s eye.  Then he turned to the Time Stone.  “For everything.”</p><p>The Time Stone flickered twice and that was all the acknowledgement that Stephen needed.  Six bright lines flared and the air was ripped from his lungs a second time, his head pounding, and something like wind screaming in his ears.  </p><p>But in his hand, he felt Tony.  </p><p>As they were thrown across space and time he never once let go.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed the big reveal and the big kiss.  And because it's me, soul bonding.  Thank you to everyone who's commented and left kudos!  I'd love to hear if you enjoyed this, it was so much fun to write.</p><p> </p><p>The artwork I commissioned and showed a few chapters ago was for this chapter.  You can see it <a href="https://why-the-face.tumblr.com/post/645761038623604736/commission-finished-for-atypicalsnowman-and-her">here</a>. </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. A Fool's Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter!  It seems like the general consensus was that the Power Stone is a bitch but the other stones loves their keepers.  That was exactly my intention.  The Time Stone has been with Stephen through lifetimes, it has to care for him.  </p><p>So here's another chapter that I envisioned at the beginning.  Because whhy would Loki pull a <i>knife</i> on Thanos.  Time travel!  That's why!</p><p>Thank you to silent_serenedipity for beta reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen and Tony landed with a thud, the universe somehow <i>spitting them out</i> of whatever void they’d been in and onto the floor of Thor and Loki’s ship.  His body still shaking, Stephen tried to get a grip on himself and clear his mind, but the vision of stars streaking by as he was hurled through space and time was burned into his retinas.  </p><p>The familiar feel and smell of Tony were all he had to hold onto as he tried to come to grips with what had just happened.  He curled around Tony, just holding him, the both of them shaking in each other’s arms.   They had a mission and only a few minutes to do it in.  He didn’t have time to process that the entire universe was counting on what he did in the next few moments.  He just had to do it.</p><p>He forced his mind back into the present.  The first thing he felt was the cold, hard floor beneath them, then he heard the stomping of boots and the roar of fires burning.  As a surgeon he’d grown used to the smell of burnt human flesh, but it made him recoil now.  He buried his nose in Tony’s hair and just breathed.  That scent of sweat and the unique smell of Tony’s workshop helped him focus enough for him to feel something new. </p><p>That shadow that had hidden behind his heart, the one that first appeared when he’d saved Tony, was more substantial, like something he could reach out and touch.  He could feel Tony <i>inside him</i> and all around him.  He buried his face in Tony’s neck and shuddered.  </p><p>“Doc, did that really just happen?” Tony whispered.</p><p>Both his hands were gripped around Tony, not willing to let go and possibly lose him to whatever game the universe was playing.  As the sounds of a damaged ship began to trickle into his senses, Stephen forced a hand off Tony and down the front of his tunic.</p><p>The Time Stone was still missing from the casing of the Eye of Agamotto, but in its place were the red and green pebbles that held the boons they were given.  The other boons had already been given to them, the Space and Time Stones getting them here, the Power Stone enabling them to do it, and the Mind Stone…</p><p>Taking a quick look around the room, Stephen found them hidden behind upturned boxes, well hidden from Thanos’ Children.  It wasn’t difficult to spot Ebony Maw, but whatever kind of powers he had, it was clear he hadn’t been alerted to their presence.</p><p>As Tony shifted to look around, a faint blue light distracted Stephen, and he quickly moved his hands around Tony’s nanoparticles while Tony zipped up.</p><p>“So all that really happened?” Tony asked, his own hand cupping his heart.  “You and me went day tripping across the universe and talked to some ancient rocks?”</p><p>They didn’t have time to discuss what had happened, but maybe they didn’t need to.  Stephen closed his eyes for just a moment, reaching out to feel the bond between himself and Tony.  He found their connection and tried to visualize touching it.</p><p>“Oh,” Tony breathed.  “What…”</p><p>“Bad?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“No,” Tony said, touching Stephen’s chest.  “Not at all.  I just felt <i>you</i>.”</p><p>He wished they had time to talk, time to test out this new thing between them, but they needed to find Loki, tell him that—</p><p>“I know what it’s like to lose…”</p><p>They went still at the sound of Thanos’ voice, not even moving to hide.  They waited a heartbeat then turned towards the voice of the creature that had destroyed the entire universe and found Loki.</p><p>He looked exactly as Stephen had last seen him, his cape a crisp, flowing green, his back straight as Thanos circled him.</p><p>“What the hell are we going to tell Loki?” Tony hissed.</p><p>Stephen cocked an eyebrow.  “‘Thanos destroyed the universe with a snap of his fingers.  Did you ever play with action figures as a child?  No?  Well, now’s your chance.’”</p><p>Tony sighed and lifted his head to watch the scene play out.  Stephen was content to listen.  He didn’t need to see Thanos or any of his children if he didn’t have to.</p><p>“The Tesseract or your brother’s head?  I assume you have a preference?”</p><p>“Oh, I do,” Loki said.  “Kill away.”</p><p>Tony winced and put his head back down.  </p><p>“I knew he was a bastard, but—”</p><p>Thor’s screams of torment sounded through the entire ship, loud enough to burn something inside of Stephen.  He bit his lip and the Cloak had to stop him from clenching his fists as everything inside of him wanted to stop what was happening.  </p><p>
  <i>Rage</i>
</p><p>Stephen took a deep breath and looked at Tony.  His eyes were focused on Stephen, but he was seeing through him, seeing past him, like he was reminding himself of what was about to happen the same way Stephen was.  Thor had to survive to be in Wakanda and securing the fate of the universe was far more important than rescuing him.</p><p>But that didn’t make listening to a man being tortured any easier.</p><p>“Tony, breathe,” Stephen whispered into his ear.  “It’s almost over.  It has to be.  Loki didn’t allow—”</p><p>“All right, stop!”</p><p>Stephen closed his eyes as Thor’s screams finally stopped and Loki removed the Space Stone from his pocket dimension.  </p><p>“I assure you, brother.  The sun will shine on us again.”</p><p>“We gonna have to sit through another torture session?” Tony asked.  “Cause I don't think I can do that again.  How long until we have an in?”</p><p>Stephen shook his head.  “I know as much as you do.  But the Stones must have sent us back to this time for a reason.”</p><p>“And for another…we have a Hulk,” Loki said just as the Hulk barreled across the room and straight into Thanos.  Loki drove at Thor, rolling them to the side and out of the way of the fighting and just barely into Stephen’s line of sight.  </p><p>“Now,” Stephen hissed but Tony’s hand on his elbow stopped him then pulled him in for a kiss.  The Hulk bellowed and raged in the background, but for just a moment Tony kissed him with such <i>longing</i> Stephen was breathless. </p><p>It was a quick thing, over far too quickly.  But it was still a kiss and exactly what Stephen had needed in the moment.</p><p>“For luck,” Tony said and crawled on his elbows and knees over to Thor and Loki.  </p><p>“Brother, move,” Thor cried to Loki, struggling to break free.  “There is still time to undo what you’ve just done.”  Loki looked as though Thor had just slapped him in the face, but Stephen knew the truth now.  Loki hadn’t taken the Space Stone for personal gain.  He was a Stone Keeper, the same as Stephen.  He wasn’t sure if he was bonded to his stone the way himself and Vision were but the Space Stone definitely had a preference for Loki.</p><p>But there was no way Thor could have understood that.  Not when his people lay dead and injured around him, not when Thanos had just tortured him with the Power Stone itself.  Stephen couldn't blame him for his assumption.</p><p>Loki wrestled with his brother to stay down, both of them hellbent on what they believed was right: Thor on getting back to the fight with Thanos and Loki on keeping his brother from being killed.  If not for how badly hurt he was, Thor would have overpowered Loki quickly.  But the sluggishness of his moves betrayed how badly he’d been hurt.</p><p>Maybe it was the red of the Cloak or maybe a faint hint of blue from the nanoparticles leaked out, but something made Loki pause and whip his head around.  He finally saw Stephen and Tony, his eyes widening first in shock then in fear. </p><p>Stephen had anticipated the same vitriol that Loki had shown him on Titan.  Hatred and pettiness and whatever else Loki felt for him on a given day.  And again, he didn’t blame him.  But they didn’t have time to explain everything that had happened and needed to happen, they most definitely didn’t have time to soothe Loki into believing them.</p><p>Loki looked straight at them in shock just for a moment before fear returned.  In the moment he stopped concentrating, Thor overpowered him, knocking him off and limping away towards the fight.  </p><p>For a long moment the three of them looked at each other, hunched over on the floor, justifiably terrified.  The hatred and resentment were completely gone from Loki, and Stephen wondered if they were ever real in the first place.  Loki looked them over, trying to piece together how the hell it was possible they got there and finally came to the only sound conclusion.</p><p>“Were you scrying from Midgard?” Loki asked but looked as though he already knew the answer.</p><p>That’s what Stephen would have thought as well.  It made the most sense, far more sense than the truth.  He shook his head.  “The Infinity Stones sent us here from the future, about three days from now.  We don’t have much time but we’re here to help you.”</p><p>Loki looked at them in disbelief.  “The Infinity Stones sent you here?" he said, like no part of that sentence made any sense.  To be fair, it didn't.</p><p>"We don't have a lot of time to explain if you hadn't noticed," Tony said.</p><p>"They sent you here to help me?” Loki asked, grabbing hold of what Stephen viewed as the least important part of that statement.  “Why?”</p><p>Stephen nodded towards the fight between Thanos and the Hulk.  “Without you and Thor, Thanos wins.”</p><p>Loki closed his eyes and lowered his head for just a moment, just a blink before he forced himself back into the game.  “Of course he won.  He always wins.”  He shook off the last of his shock and asked, “What did he do?”</p><p>“Destroyed the Stones, and therefore the entire universe because he played with something he didn’t understand,” Tony said plainly.  “He destroyed everything.  <i>Everything.</i>  With a snap of his fingers.”</p><p>Loki hissed through his teeth.  “I knew he was a power mad fool, but I didn't know how foolish.  The Stones are the connection to the powers of the entire universe.  Of course destroying them would destroy the entity from whence they came.”</p><p>Stephen spared a glance at the fight between Thanos and the Hulk just in time for Thor to take a piece of metal to Thanos’ head.  Thanos kicked him across the room and Ebony Maw trapped him in a sheet of metal.  </p><p>Well, at least they’d know where he was.  </p><p>“Look, in a minute the Thanos from our future is going to come back here and communicate with himself,” Stephen said.</p><p>“And what is he going to tell himself?” Loki asked.</p><p>“He’s going to tell himself to kill you,” Stephen said.  “We’re here to stop that from happening.”</p><p>Loki’s face went impossibly paler but he nodded.  “I’ve made worse allies in times of war.  Are we going to use your ring and portal away?”</p><p>“No, this is like Back to the Future,” Tony said.  “Thanos has to kill you or he won’t leave and continue on his insane mission to destroy half of all life in the universe.”</p><p>“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” Stephen hissed. </p><p>“No, I am not.”</p><p>“We’ll never fool Thanos and we <i>certainly</i> won’t fool Ebony Maw,” Loki said.  </p><p>“All-fathers, let the dark magic flow through me one last time,” said the voice of a man who sounded like he knew he was about to die.  Loki looked distraught, his eyes betraying his sadness as Thanos killed the man a moment later.</p><p>“We don’t have a lot of time,” Stephen said.  “After Thanos destroyed the Stones, at the end of time, the Infinity Stones called us.  They each gave us a boon.”</p><p>“That would certainly explain how Ebony Maw doesn’t know you’re here,” Loki said.  “The Mind Stone’s doing?”</p><p>“Yes,” Stephen said.  “And the Reality Stone gave us this,” Stephen said and handed the small red pebble to Loki.  “You’ll have to command it.  But it will sound and feel like you, so Thanos can believe he’s killed you and go on his way.”</p><p>“Why not just stop him here?” Loki asked, taking the pebble in hand.  “Why not just use your portals for something good for once?  We could outrun him, we could get my brother, rescue my people and try for something else.  Something that doesn’t play right into his plans.”</p><p>“We don’t have time for this,” Tony said.  “Any second now—”</p><p>A glowing green portal opened into the ship.  Thanos, covered in the orange dust of Titan, stood in its center.  On his gauntlet were five of the six Infinity Stones.  He was on his way to Earth, and only one stone remained.  </p><p>“Victory is within our grasp,” Thanos said to himself.  “Kill the Asgardian.  The little one.  The one who cried for his mother when he was in our company.  The one who failed to take the Earth.”</p><p>Thanos looked over his counterpart, seeing the Infinity Stones on the gauntlet, not requiring any other explanation from himself.  “Only the little one?”</p><p>“Only him,” Thanos said and the green portal disappeared.  </p><p>Thor screamed through the gag they put over his mouth and Stephen felt his heart drop.  It was now or never.  </p><p>“Why only Loki?” Ebony Maw asked.  </p><p>“I don’t know,” Thanos said.  “But I trust myself enough to follow my own instructions.  Find him so we can leave.  There’s nothing else for us here.  There are two more stones on Earth.  Find them, my children.”</p><p>His children kneeled down, accepting the command.  “Father, we will not fail you.”</p><p>Loki took the pebble into his hands, closed his eyes, and blew.  The pebble faded to grey and fell to the ground, all its powers spent.</p><p>A false Loki stood up and walked into the conversation, as though they hadn’t just been discussing his impending death.  “If I might interject,” Loki said in a smooth and deceptively playful voice, “if you’re going to Earth, you might want a guide.”  He bounced on the balls of his feet.  “I do have a bit of experience in that area.”</p><p>“If you consider failure experience,” Thanos responded.  Perhaps he did believe Loki hadn’t overheard their conversation.  He made no move to kill him, which he could do with a blast from the Power Stone or a good punch of his fist.  </p><p>“What are you doing?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Trying to make it look natural,” Loki whispered.  Sweat was beading on his forehead as he stayed completely still, moving the false Loki around exactly like a doll.  “They believe me a fool.  I’m going to give them a fool’s death.”</p><p>“I consider <i>experience</i>, experience,” the false Loki said.  “Almighty Thanos,” he said, his voice filled with a false confidence, “I, Loki, prince of Asgard…”  He took a quick look at Thor.  “Odinson.”</p><p>Thor had no idea what was going on.  Trapped in Ebony Maw’s metal prison, he could only watch as Loki confronted a Titan. </p><p>“The rightful king of Jotunheim, god of mischief.”  With a turn of his hand, Loki created a magical dagger in his doll’s hands.  “Do hereby pledge to you my undying fidelity.”</p><p>Stephen had to hand it to him.  Loki even made his double shed a few tears just before he attacked Thanos with a knife.</p><p>
  <i>A knife.</i>
</p><p>“Wait, really?” Tony asked.  “You think he’s going to buy that?”</p><p>Thanos grabbed his double by the neck, and Stephen breathed a sigh of relief as Thanos made contact with it, knowing that the Reality Stone’s power was holding.  Loki put on a horrifying, convincing death by strangulation, his face growing purple, his eyes bloodshot, his feet kicking at the air.  </p><p>Stephen turned away.</p><p>“You will never be…a god,” Loki managed to make his double croak.  </p><p>Thanos tightened his grip even more and Loki finally let his body die.  Thor screamed his anguish through his gag, unable to do a thing to stop it.</p><p>“No resurrections this time,” Thanos said plainly, throwing Loki’s false body onto the floor.</p><p>Ebony Maw scrutinized the body, but he found nothing.  The double was a perfect replica, right down to Loki’s own mind.  There should be no suspicion, but he looked around, just past Tony and Stephen, as if he sensed something.</p><p>“Father, if I may beg a boon of you,” Ebony Maw said to Thanos.  </p><p>Stephen held his breath.  The powers of the Mind Stone had to hold just a little longer…<br/>
“Not now,” Thanos said and lifted the Gauntlet.  “Now you go to Earth and bring me the other stones.”  </p><p>“It shall be done,” he said and then they all disappeared in a blue mist as Thanos activated the Space Stone.</p><p>The cage Ebony Maw had held Thor in crumbled, and he stumbled out to cover his brother’s body, weeping over him.  </p><p>“We don’t have much time,” Stephen said.  “Which way to your escape pods?”</p><p>“That way,” Loki said, as purple flame began to envelop the ship.  “I can’t believe that worked.”</p><p>“Brother?” Thor asked, his tone hopeful but disbelieving even as the flame spread.  “How?  Never have your clones…Tony?  Wizard?”</p><p>“Loki will fill you in as much as possible,” Stephen said and grabbed his sling ring.  “But not now.”</p><p>A portal opened right at the entrance to a hall that held the escape pods.  The fire hadn’t reached that part of the ship yet.  </p><p>“What happens now?” Loki asked, grunting but allowing Thor to hold him tightly.  </p><p>“You get picked up by a real-life D&amp;D party,” Tony said, rushing with Stephen to the other side of the portal.</p><p>“Wait a moment,” Loki said, as it became obvious that they weren’t invited.</p><p>“We can’t alter the original timeline too much,” Stephen said as the fires swirled around the brothers.  “I’m sorry, but you’re meant to go another route.  Thor will know what to do.  The next time you see us, it will be us from this timeline.”</p><p>“So no giving up the goat or it could cause a chain reaction that could destroy the entire universe,” Tony said.</p><p>“Seriously?  Now?”</p><p>“Yup.  Oh, yeah and Thor,” Tony said, just as Stephen was closing the portal, “next time you see Thanos, go for the head.”</p><p>The portal closed just as Thor grabbed hold of Loki and the ship started to come apart.  Stephen and Tony ran to the only escape pod left.  </p><p>“Okay, wake up,” Tony said.  “Please let this one be more user friendly than the last ship.”  Tony’s fingers flew over the controls, but of course the language wasn’t English and Tony didn’t have Friday to help.  </p><p>“Tony, hurry,” Stephen said, as purple flame made its way closer to them.  </p><p>“Going as fast as I can, Doc,” he said as a red light started blasting its displeasure.  “Kinda hard when you don't know the language.”</p><p>“Tony…” Stephen said and cast a shield around the pod as the purple flame engulfed them.  This wasn’t normal fire, this was a direct blast from the Power Stone, and Stephen struggled to maintain the shield.  “Please, Tony,” he whispered.  </p><p>The console beeped and red lights flashed as Tony's fingers flew over it, all while Stephen held the fire at bay.</p><p>“Okay…got it!”</p><p>The pod released from the Statesman, flying out as fast as it could as the ship was completely destroyed.  </p><p>Then there was nothing but silence.  Tony turned the ship around to see the wreckage, and Stephen thought he could just make out Thor and Loki’s still forms, still wrapped around each other.  </p><p>“They’ll be fine,” Stephen said, more to himself than to Tony.  “They survived the destruction of the ship the first time.  They’ll be fine, and in a few hours the Guardians will pick them up.”</p><p>“Yeah…but what about the rest of them?” Tony asked.  </p><p>Stephen didn’t have an answer for that.  Maybe it didn’t really matter if their only goal was to ensure the universe didn’t end.  But he also knew both he and Tony would help Thor and Loki rescue every last Asgardian they could.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Stephen said, the answer painful to say.  He was a master of the mystic arts, Tony was the greatest mind of their generation.  How could the two of them leave people to float in space?</p><p>“We’ll help them,” Tony said.  “We will.  When Thanos is dead and the dust has settled, we’ll find a way.”  He waited until Stephen looked at him, waiting for him to acknowledge that yes, what they were doing now was terrible, but couldn't be helped but that they would make it right.</p><p>“Okay, so…Titan,” Tony said, calling up a gauntlet and creating a hologram.  “The suit remembers where that was, so it’ll be pretty easy to set the course for autopilot.”  He took to the console, entering coordinates for Titan while Stephen found himself at a loss for what to do next.  </p><p>They had no food on them, no water.  Tony had had a blood transfusion and Stephen was confident he’d healed his wound, but they would both need provisions soon.  </p><p>The pod was small, but there was a small galley connected to the cockpit, and something like a refrigerator stocked with drinks and food that Stephen hoped were safe for human consumption.  From what he knew of Asgardians, they ate foods similar to what humans ate.  Behind the small galley was a bedroom.  It was small, and the bed took up much of the room, but it would be somewhere they could rest.  </p><p>His knees almost gave out from under him.  After what they’d endured over the past few days, Stephen felt the adrenaline rush finally leave him and fatigue set in.  They had lost so much, he had to remind himself that at this point Peter was still alive and in New York.  </p><p>Peter was <i>alive</i>.  And he’d stay that way.  He didn’t care what he had to do.  Stephen would see this through.  </p><p>A hand landed on his shoulder, Tony coming up behind him, quiet and no doubt just as exhausted as he was.  He toed off his shoes and sat on the bed with Stephen, holding him as they both let themselves fall apart.  </p><p>Tony gently laid them down, never letting go.  The shadow behind his heart was steady and strong, its love unwavering.  There, his face tucked into Tony’s neck, Stephen finally allowed himself to take a deep breath.  </p><p>He exhaled, letting himself fall further into Tony, their bodies twisting deeper into each other.  There, in his arms, he finally felt just safe enough to feel every emotion he’d buried deep for the past few days.  </p><p>“I know it looks bad, Doc,” Tony whispered.  “But we got this.  And I got you.  Okay?”</p><p>Stephen nodded, the feeling of Tony’s facial hair grazing against his cheek.  He closed his eyes, but all he could see was the kicking of the false Loki’s feet as he was strangled by Thanos and the look of betrayal on Loki's face as they closed the portal on them.</p><p>He opened his eyes and concentrated on the beat of Tony’s heart.</p><p>“Yeah, okay.  I got you, too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's why Loki pulled a knife on Thanos.  </p><p>Thank you to everyone who has been following this fic and leaving comments every week.  They're so lovely, thank you thank you.  </p><p>For the next few chapters I will be posting every other week.  I hate to do it because I love posting every Saturday, but I'm starting to work on my Big Bang fic.  So I'm going to be working on two novel lengths!  At the same time!  Because I'm super smart and make realistic goals lol.  No, really I think I can do it.  And hopefully by the end of the year there will be two complete Ironstrange novels to enjoy.</p><p>If there's going to be a big cliff hanger I'll update the week after cause I'm not evil.  And there's still a lot of plot to get through before we get the big happy ending.  </p><p> </p><p>If you'd like, follow me on <a href="https://atypical-snowman.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p><p>Or on <a href="https://twitter.com/atypicalsnowma1">twitter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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